India has their work cut out in their Davis Cup tie as they take on the Czech Republic for a place in the world group. The absence of the top seed Tomas Berdych could provide dividends for India provided they are playing in familiar home conditions.
Although Berdych misses, which could prove handy for India, Somdev’s patchy form is a cause of concern for India.
The results in the last few months for one of the most hard-working Indian players are far from encouraging. There were 11 instances when Somdev failed to clear the first round and four times he did not go beyond the second round in the main draw matches, including the Challengers.
On the contrary, Yuki Bhambri has been in terrific form who recently won the challenger title in Shanghai which also saw him rising to the world no 125.
Yuki will open the tie for India by playing against Lukas Rosol before Somdev takes on Jiri Vesley.
“I would prefer playing in cooler conditions but I can play freely at 0-0,” Yuki said after the draw.
But Somdev enjoys an unbeaten record on the slow DLTA courts. He has not lost a single match here since 2010, winning a Commonwealth Games gold and two Delhi Open titles.
If he can continue his love-affair with the venue, it will be a great service to the nation.
The venue too has been chosen by the players themselves, keeping in mind the slow nature of the conditions that suit the Indians. The ball comes slow and bounces on the centre court, which would mean that points won’t finish fast. This is exactly what Somdev loves.
But at the same time searing heat may trouble the Indians too and keeping themselves cramps-free would be crucial. The temperature is likely to be around 35-36 and the fitness of the players of both the sides will be tested.
According to non-playing captain Anand Amritraj, the draw has come out exactly as they wanted.
India must win at least one of the two singles on Day one and hope that seasoned Leander Paes recreates his magic in the company of Rohan Bopanna to give India a one-point cushion, going into the final day.
India’s draw:
DRAW #INDCZE: @yukibhambri and @Lukas_Rosol will open proceedings in the World Group play-off in New Delhi pic.twitter.com/dFwOAUk4QQ
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 17, 2015