JOIN US'A chance for youngsters'
The senior players are missing from the side, yet India’s Davis Cup captain SP Misra finds himself in an enviable situation ahead of the final selection. Misra believes all the six players in the squad are capable of playing in the Asia-Oceania relegation play-off against New Zealand, a sign that augurs well for Indian tennis.
Misra said it will be a tough task for him to pick the final four. “All the players are capable of being selected. I am yet to make up my mind on the final composition. But it is a good sign for Indian tennis. These players are the future and it is a perfect opportunity for them to prove themselves,” Misra told reporters here.
He, however, felt the presence of senior players would have boosted the youngsters’ confidence. “It would have been nice if a couple of seniors had been around,” he said.
The conditions were hot and humid but the Indian players -- Yuki Bhambri, Vishnu Vardhan, Sanam Singh, Saketh Myneni as well as two reserve players Divij Sharan and Sriram Balaji -- engaged in a two-hour training session in the afternoon at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association on Wednesday.
“Hotter the weather, better for us,” Misra said.
India, ranked 24th, may be higher in rankings, but Davis cup is a different ballgame. “Rankings do not matter. India’s performance in the Davis Cup has always been better than their rankings” Misra said.
The players are also confident of putting up a good performance. Vishnu, who had an impressive outing in the London Olympics, said his experience will come in handy.
“We all came here few days early to prepare well. Our performances in the ATP Challengers have been a good boost for us. The Olympics was a great experience for me and I will like to do my best here,” he said.
New Zealand captain Marcel Vos admitted that playing India will be a challenge. “The weather is different to what we are used to back home. But we have prepared for the last two weeks in Bangkok, where the weather conditions were similar,” he said.
“India have a good history in Davis Cup. Some of their experienced players are not there, which is good for us. They have a young side and none of our boys have played against them,” he said. The two teams have a 3-3 head-to-head record in the tournament. India have won each of the last three meetings in 2002, 2003 and 2004 having lost the first three in the 1970s.