READY FOR BATTLE: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, AITA President, Yashwant Sinha (left) and AITA General Secretary, Anil Khanna, with the Indian Davis Cup team. — Photo: S. Subramanium

NEW DELHI: They may not have delivered anything on the big stage as yet, but captain Leander Paes had no hesitation in leaving it to two relatively inexperienced players.

The onus will be on Prakash Amritraj and Rohan Bopanna to challenge the seasoned Swedes in singles on the opening day of the Davis Cup World group play-off tie to be played at the R. K. Khanna Stadium here on Friday.

It was perhaps a strategy to let the 271st ranked Prakash Amritraj have a go at the world No.1 doubles star Jonas Bjorkman, ranked No.94 in singles, on the opening day, that saw the Indian No.1 Harsh Mankad being restricted to the reserves as was originally announced.

If it clicks, and if the host manages to win at least one rubber on the opening day the crowd may get to see Leander going for the Swedish jugular on the third and final day in the reverse singles.

It was indeed a surprise that Leander opted to stick only to the doubles, quoting that he was physically not up to it as his shoulder was still recovering and that he was not too happy with his form following a below par fare on the Tour in the American summer.

"I don't need any temptation to play for the country. It was as hard for me to put myself out, as easy as it would have been to put me in. I had to look at the big picture'', said Leander.

Good draw

"It is a good draw for the Swedes,'' said Mats Wilander as he looked at the draw pitting Bjorkman, whose name was picked up from the bowl by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence, against Prakash in the first singles.

The second match would feature the former Australian Open champion and the current world No.14 Thomas Johansson against the 311th ranked Bopanna.

"We believe that they have put their two best singles players. We are prepared. Am feeling fine, though it is a little warm and the court is not too good," said Johansson, who has a 9-10 win-loss record in Davis Cup.

Mahesh Bhupathi said it was indeed a new challenge for the team, and hoped it would help it to mature to the next level. He added that it would equally be a challenge in doubles for him and Leander to come up with a different strategy as all the four knew each other's game.

Struggle

It has been a struggle for India in the World Group play-off in the last few years, with or without Leander Paes.

The last time India played the Swedes at Bastad in July 2000, Harsh Mankad and Prahlad Srinath had won 14 games in all in four singles matches between them, while Mahesh Bhupathi and Syed Fazaluddin were able to win two sets against Andreas Vinciguerra and Mikael Tillstrom.

In fact, Sweden has won 19 of the 20 rubbers in the four meetings between the two countries, and that one defeat was handed to Mats Wilander by Vijay Amritraj in 1985.

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