Muristek
Vinayak Padmadeo
The Delhi Gymkhana Club, the venue of India's Davis Cup World Group Playoff home tie against Denmark, is getting primed. The metal fencing near the grasscourts is getting a fresh coat of green and the grass is being neatly cut. At a distance, the Indian Davis Cup team is being put through its paces by coach Zeeshan Ali and his assistant M Balachandran. As hosts, India have had the first dibs in acclimatising to the conditions — Denmark are to fly in only on Sunday morning.
Veteran Yuki Bhambri during training. PTIWith the tie being played on grass, the focus in training is mostly on sharpening the essentials required to tame the Danish team. Players separated in two adjacent courts are being made to work hard on getting the first plays right. First serve, first return and the first volley ndash; this is the focus. Prajnesh Gunneswaran, and Ramkumar Ramanathan and Yuki Bhambri — declared fit for the tie — are working with Balachandran. Zeeshan has the doubles specialists — Divij Sharan and Saketh Myneni ndash; and a few reserve team players working on their net play.
Every small detail is being worked out, including the length of the grass on the playing surface, which affects the speed and bounce of the ball. Ramanathan, who is almost certain to play the singles, spent extra time with Balachandran, trying to work on quick movements.
There are high hopes from Prajnesh Gunneswaran (left) and Ramkumar Ramanathan to take India home versus Danes."On grass you look to catch it (ball) as early as you can, especially with my style. And if I can move quickly, the earlier I catch the ball the easier it is, given the surface. You always need to come up to the net and that's what we have been working through," Ramanathan says. "We have also been working a lot on first serves, first return and first volley. I think as days go on, we can further improve on it."
3 gap years
India is hosting a Davis Cup tie for the first time in three years — the last home tie ended in a disappointing loss to Italy in Kolkata in February 2019. Gunneswaran, who is also in the mix to play one of the two singles matches with fit-again Yuki Bhambri, says the team has already forgotten about the past results and is looking forward to playing in front of home fans.
"That what a different tie. We also played against a much stronger team in Kolkata. Odds were against us there and unfortunately we could not pull it off. But it is important that we go into this tie making sure that we have a very good chance and we need to make sure we capitalise on it," Gunneswaran says.
In September last year, he lost the first match against a lower ranked Otto Virtanen in Finland as the Indians were put under pressure in the away leg in the World Group 1st Round. Disappointed he may be, but the 32-year-old from Chennai says is always good to return to the team format of this event ndash; for professional players like him, being part of team play is special.
"It is a different experience as you are playing for the country and it is a team event rather than playing as an individual on our own. It is also nice to have the support of the entire team, a bit like other team sports for two weeks. We get together and push each other. It is nice to have that kind of support from the sidelines and not fend for ourselves. It is healthy for all of us to have this mix a few weeks in a year," says Gunneswaran.
The team has moved on from the loss to Finland. "We are all used to accepting losses quickly and moving on to the next week but I am really looking forward to a good home tie. We have got a strong team with lots of options," he adds.
Focus on first day
Ramanathan has cautioned his teammates to not get carried away despite facing the Danes, who are down on the rankings. Instead, he wants to get a sizable lead on the first day to get comfortable in the tie. "We can't underestimate the team even though those guys are ranked lower. It is Davis Cup and things can happen and we have to be ready for everything. Get ready to battle as it is not going to be easy," he says.
should be on the first day to somehow take a good lead. To win two singles would be great but at least try to keep the tie alive. We've just got to keep focussing match by match, point by point, and we've got to start wellhellip; And Bops (Rohan Bopanna, the team's best doubles player) can take it over from there," he adds.
Davis Cup changes
This is the first Davis Cup tie in India since the competition was revamped — shrunk, actually — in late 2019. From 1900, the Davis Cup had been played through the year, with countries competing against each other home or away, progressing to the final, held at the end of the year between the two top teams. But in the new version, the top 18 nations play in a football World Cup style tournament, in groups and then knockout rounds. The brainchild of Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, the format has faced teething problems, and criticism from players and fans. The Davis Cup, tennis's top team event for men, is run by the International Tennis Federation. Since the last three years, the ATP ndash; the men's professional tennis organisation ndash; too has been organising its own World Cup style tournament, the ATP Cup. Then there's also the Laver Cup, promoted by Roger Federer, which pits Europe against the Rest of the World! Is there room for two top men's team tournaments, plus the Laver Cup, on the tennis calendar? If no, which one will bow out? Time will tell.
Fans in the stands!
As India and Denmark face each other for the first time since September 1984 — India had won 3-2 at Aarhus then — fans of tennis are set to be welcomed at the venue. New Delhi will host the Davis Cup after a gap of five years. The number of Covid-19 cases in the country has steadily declined over the weeks, and this has encouraged the organisers to allow up to 3,800 specators in to watch the tie. Organising Committee co-chairman Om Pathak said entry would be free for spectators. "We are building a seating capacity of 3,800. There won't be any priced ticket. All tickets will be complimentary on first cum first serve basis," said Pathak.