Greg Rusedski announced his retirement after helping Britain to establish a 3-0 lead over the Netherlands in Davis Cup.
For the first time in 10 years, India have a real chance of re-entering the elite 16-member group as they take on Romania, for the first time since 1971.
India will host Uzbekistan on the hard courts of Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) in Bangalore when the two sides clash in an Asia Oceania Zone group I Davis Cup tie in April.
Yuki Bhambri, the country's No 1 singles player, will open India's Davis Cup campaign when he takes on world No 85 Lukas Rosol in the first singles of the World Group play-off match against the Czech Republic, in Delhi, on Friday. The second singles will be played between Somdev Devvarman and Czech No 1 Jiri Vesley.
"He's got a severe strain in the area between the calf and the Achilles' tendon in his left leg," federation doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro told the RFET Web site.
Favourites Russia Tennis Federation opened their Davis Cup Finals campaign with a resounding victory over Ecuador, Britain began with a win against France and Italy eased into the quarter-finals with a win over Colombia on Saturday.
Rohan Bopanna put up a gallant fight against world number 18 Viktor Troicki before losing as India conceded a 0-1 lead against top seed and defending champions Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group tie in Novi Sad on Friday.
Rafael Nadal will play Sergiy Stakhovsky in Friday's second Davis Cup singles rubber after Spain announced their lineup for the World Group playoff at home to Ukraine on Thursday.
The selection committee has picked World No. 246 Prajnesh as Yuki's replacement as he is the next best singles ranked player.
In the absence of an injured Yuki, a lot would depend on how the left-handed Prajnesh, who won a singles bronze medal at the Asian Games, performs.
Switzerland took advantage of Novak Djokovic's absence to open a 2-0 lead over last year's runners-up Serbia in their Davis Cup tie on Friday with Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka winning their singles rubbers.
The world number one confirmed he would play for Switzerland against Britain in the World Group play-off in September.
John Isner shocked Roger Federer in four sets to secure a 2-0 lead for the United States away to Switzerland in Davis Cup World Group action Friday while holders Spain carved out the same advantage over Kazakhstan in their first-round tie.
The Australian Open champion will lead Russia in next month's Davis Cup World Group opening round tie against Chile.
In its endeavour to bring more fans to the stadium for watching the Indian Davis Cup team in action against formidable Spain, the DLTA has decided to conduct the World Group Play-off tie this month under flood-lights with singles matches starting at 5 in the evening.
An already depleted India suffered another blow on Saturday with Rohan Bopanna pulling out of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against Spain, claiming that he suffered a knee injury during the US Open.
Somdev Devvarman has a heavy workload to shoulder, as India, sans top doubles player Leander Paes, take on hosts Japan in a bid to re-enter the elite Davis Cup World Group in Tokyo, from Friday
India have been seeded third in Group I of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania zone. They have been given a bye in the first round before taking on the winner of the match between Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstan in the second round, scheduled from March 6 to 8, 2009.
In what would come as a massive blow to India's chances at the Davis Cup, tennis ace Leander Paes pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles semi-finals due to back spasms which also makes him doubtful for the World Group playoff tie against Japan next week.
Italian Bracciali banned for life, Starace for 10 years
His recent success on the ITF circuit on Tuesday fetched teenage sensation Yuki Bhambri a place in the Indian Davis Cup squad for the crucial World Group play-off tie against South Africa scheduled September 18 to 20.
Veteran pairing Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut booked France's place in another Davis Cup final as they won the doubles to seal the champions' 3-0 victory over Spain in their World Group semi-final on Saturday.
'If it is a World Cup then yes, doing away with home and away format, is okay'
Founded in 1900, the Davis Cup is the largest annual international team competition in sport, but has suffered as a spectacle since many top players began opting out.
The U.S. Open runner-up has already won 24 Davis Cup singles matches and needs one more to eclipse Adrian Quist's Australian record.
Chairman of selectors Shyam Minotra said Amritraj, the highest ranked Indian on the ATP at 317, deserved to be in the team.
Leander Paes made a return while Yuki Bhambri was left out of a five-member Indian squad picked for the Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Russia in Moscow from March 5-7.
Double Davis Cup winner Tomas Berdych has called for the annual competition to be played every two years, warning the current format was destroying tennis's top team prize.
India will compete at home against Brazil in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie from September 17 to 19. After a long time, India have home advantage. They played all their matches outside the country in recent times.
World No 2 Andy Murray's three-point contribution to Britain's defeat of Belgium in the Davis Cup final concluded one of the most remarkable years ever achieved in the competition by an individual player. Below are the key facts:
Yuichi Sugita and Kei Nishikori helped Japan to a commanding 2-0 lead against India in the Davis Cup World Group Play-Off tie in Tokyo on Friday.
Germany captain Michael Kohlmann was pleased to make 'positive history' after their first win over France in 84 years.
The hard court of Chennai's Nungambakkam Tennis Centre will host the Davis Cup tie between India and Australia in May, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) said on Tuesday.
Donald Young has replaced the injured John Isner for the United States and will face Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain in Friday's opening match of the first-round Davis Cup tie in San Diego.
Having lost both the singles on the opening day, the Yuki-Saketh pair did put up a fight before losing to the fancied Norwegian duo in an hour and 50 minutes.
Canada beat USA to enter quarters, Argentina overpower Chile in opening tie
Coming into the do-or-die match, Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes, with a combined age of 86, won 6-3, 6-7(9), 7-5 after two hours and 21 minutes against Pavic and Skugor, ranked 15 and 32 respectively.
Injury-stricken Rafael Nadal and Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick will be among the big names forced to miss the Davis Cup World Group quarter-finals starting on Friday.
Spain's World No 5 Rafael Nadal has been ruled out of opening singles rubber against India in their Davis Cup World Group play-off in New Delhi on Friday.
The United States lifted the Davis Cup for the 32nd time when they completed a 4-1 victory over Russia in the 2007 World Group final on Sunday
