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We are overwhelming favourites: Prakash

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Uzbeks have been in the Capital for a week, practising hard, but it was the arrival of the India No.1 Prakash Amritraj, that provided the buzz and feel of the ensuing Davis Cup tie between the two countries at the DLTA Complex.

The 24-year-old Prakash, fresh from his stint in China where he had gone in search of some matches before the Asia-Oceania group ‘I’ tie, looked relaxed and confident as he tried to get his footing right on grass during the practice stint with the national hardcourt champion Ashutosh Singh, on Friday afternoon.

Though it dispelled the doubts about the fitness of Prakash who had pulled out of the singles event in a Challenger tournament in China this week, the US-based pro himself clarified that the withdrawal was more a precautionary measure than anything else.

‘Tricky feeling’

“Though the surgery on my (left) wrist was a success, it is a tricky feeling. I was happy with the quality of my game during the Chennai Open and later in Australia when I was a bit unlucky not to qualify for the Australian Open. Yet, it was unbelievably cold in China and I felt stiff. Now that I have started understanding my body a lot better, I thought that it would be a bad move to risk the whole season,” said Prakash, as he expressed his position.

Prakash was, of course, quite pleased to be back on grass and to be back in the Indian squad after nearly two years.

“It is great to be part of the team again and I do feel that we are the overwhelming favourites to be playing the Uzbeks on grass at home,” said Prakash.

Prakash was quick to add that he was not under-estimating Denis Istomin and company.

“A lot of people may under-estimate Denis Istomin and his team. I know that Istomin has been playing good tennis and won a round at the Australian Open apart from taking a set off Lleyton Hewitt.

“I expect a much tougher fight from the Uzbek team this time than what they had managed in 2005 in Jaipur,” said Prakash, who had last played against Pakistan in Mumbai in April 2006.

With Rohan Bopanna scheduled to arrive on Saturday, the momentum is set to pick up in the preparatory phase. Moreover, the Indians were just about testing the grass court at the DLTA Complex as the cold weather had made it difficult for the staff to prepare it in time.

The Uzbeks had to make do with practising on hard courts as the grass courts were not ready in the morning.

The practice courts at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) are expected to be ready for the two teams on Saturday morning.

The non-playing captain Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Somdev Dev Varman are expected to join the team over the next few days.

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