The Indian Davis Cup team is set for a battle of gigantic proportions as it takes on five-time champions Spain, who have packed the side with world class performers headlined by the legendary Rafael Nadal in their desperation to reclaim a spot in the elite World Group.
Punjab Marshalls swept the first home tie 23-15 against Raipur Rangers in possibly the most exciting tie of the Champions Tennis League so far in Chandigarh on Friday.
India entered the Davis Cup World Group play-offs after a historic away triumph over South Korea following Somdev Devvarman's victory over Yong-Kyu Lim in the reverse singles of the Group I Asia/Oceania second round tie, in Busan, on Sunday. Somdev won the first reverse singles 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to make the overall scoreline 3-1 in favour of India, rendering the second reverse singles inconsequential, leading to its cancellation.
'To win a medal, the players will have to play a couple of tough rounds. The draws are fine, and balanced and give us the opportunity to go deep.'
India's non-playing captain Anand Amritraj was upbeat ahead of the Asia Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie against New Zealand, to be played in Pune from February 3 to 5, but cautioned the Kiwis should not be taken lightly.
Canada named rising star and world number 69 Denis Shapovalov in its squad to take on India in the upcoming Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie, scheduled in Edmonton from September 15.
Young Yuki Bhambri brought India back in the Davis Cup match against New Zealand after Somdev Devvarman was beaten in the opening singles.
Djere is ranked higher than Ramkumar at number 86 but is yet to win a match in Davis Cup. On the other side, Ramkumar is placed 135 in the world but is far more experienced, having played six ties with a 7-5 Win-Loss record.
Top seed Somdev Devvarman won his match against Jordi Samper Montana of Spain via a walkover to set up a semi-final clash with his Indian compatriot Yuki Bhambri in the $50,000 ATP Challenger Tennis tournament in Chennai on Thursday.
The bitterness of not getting a shot at the Olympics mixed doubles event continues to rankle Leander Peas and the veteran Indian tennis star has no qualms in stating that the country did not send its best team in the event to Rio.
Rohan Bopanna advised the Indian youngsters to get fitter to negotiate the challenging conditions after he had to play the fourth rubber of Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie against South Korea instead of Saketh Myneni who skipped due to fitness issues.
Rohan Bopanna's stupendous run at Wimbledon earned him a career-best No 5 ranking in the ATP doubles chart and made him the top-ranked Indian in the game.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Yuki Bhambri breezed past Italy's Marco Cecchinato in the opening round of the qualifiers in the Chennai Open on Saturday.
Rutuja Bhosale and Rohan Bopanna staged a great comeback after losing the first set to beat Chinese Taipei's combo of Tsung-hao Huang and En-shuo Liang in the final.
AITA on sticky wicket after shift in venue
Somdev Devvarman joined compatriot Ramkumar Ramanathan in the singles main draw of the ATP Chennai Open with a come-from-behind victory over Briton James Ward in the final qualifying round in Chennai on Sunday.
The All India Tennis Association may be backing Leander Paes to the hilt in him making the squad for the Rio Olympics, but the veteran star will not be picked in the Davis Cup team despite showing late interest in competing in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie against Korea Republic next month.
The Sports Ministry has chosen 152 athletes across disciplines for Rs. 50,000 allowance per month for their preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Earning a dream Grand Slam debut for himself, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal set up a US Open first round clash against the legendary Roger Federer, one of the greatest players of all-time, on Monday.
India were on Tuesday pitted against European powerhouse Spain as their Davis Cup World Group play-off opponents for the home tie as the International Tennis Federation announced the draw in London.
Following is the schedule of Indian contingent on day six of the Asian Games:
Davis Cup: Strong Indian team is firm favourite against Pakistan in historic clash
Veteran star Leander Paes is set to combine with Rohan Bopanna for the doubles rubber during the Davis Cup tie against Serbia, Indian captain Anand Amritraj confirmed today but he says nothing has been decided on the Asian Games squad as yet.
'The best bet for Indian tennis to win a medal at the Olympics would be having Leander and Bopanna together.' Bikash Mohapatra/Rediff.com reveals how the AITA convinced Rohan Bopanna to partner Leander Paes in Rio,
Leander Paes is set to return to the Indian Davis Cup squad after making himself available for the upcoming tie against Pakistan as the country's top players and non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi have refused to travel to the neighbouring nation, citing security concerns.
Tennis ace Sania Mirza wins the Khel Ratna award. Last week, the Sports Ministry confirmed that Wimbledon doubles champion Sania Mirza had been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
Bopanna and Sharan defeated Kazakhstan's Aleksander Bublik and Denis Yevseyev 6-3, 6-4 in 52 minutes.
Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni were done in by some 'flawless' tennis played by the Kiwi players according to India coach Zeeshan Ali.
Two years after Spain's stunning fall from grace in Davis Cup tennis, Rafael Nadal has hailed his nation's return to the World Group after victory in the playoff against India.
Tennis ace Leander Paes termed reports that he had refused to share a room at the Olympic Games Village with his doubles partner Rohan Bopanna as "false" and said that his timing of arrival at Rio was according to plans and known to the Indian tennis team.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
At one stage Yuki was a break up, serving for the opening set but lost his serve and eventually the set. After drawing parity, Yuki twice lost his serve to fall behind 0-3 in the decisive set and never recovered.
Senior pro Leander Paes's place in the Indian Davis Cup team will be up for discussion when the AITA Selection Committee meets on Monday to pick the squad for the upcoming Asia/Oceania Zone tie against Uzbekistan.
The Bhupathi-Melzer pair lose in straight sets to Argentine team of Diego Schwartzman and Horacio Zeballos.
Following is India's schedule at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, on Thursday, September 28.
Leander Paes will make it to his seventh Olympic Games after the All India Tennis Association on Saturday announced that that the veteran would partner Rohan Bopanna in the men's doubles at the Rio Games in August.
Fresh from winning the Chennai leg, Yuki Bhambri advanced to the second round, even as the other two Indians Saketh Myneni and Vishnu Vardhan made quiet exits in the $50,000 ATP Challenger at BTA Courts in Kolkata.
Bindra realistic after the Haryanvi takes a set off Federer in US Open first round.
Indian challenge ended at the Hong Kong Open World Tour Super 500 tournament after Kidambi Srikanth and Sameer Verma lost their respective men's singles quarterfinal matches on Friday.
