The Hindu : Sport : Bopanna to open against Nishikori

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Sport

Bopanna to open against Nishikori

Kamesh Srinivasan

Prakash Amritraj plays Go Soeda in the second singles match

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

NO WORRIES: Skipper Leander Paes, seen sporting a serious look here, will be hoping that Prakash Amritraj, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna’s smiles will continue to glow when India takes on Japan in their Davis Cup tie.

NEW DELHI: It is time for action after all the drama off the court for the last two months. Indeed, it is time for Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj to deliver the goods and win the tennis fraternity’s confidence in the country.

The two singles stars need to win a match each and leave it to skipper Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to clinch the pivotal doubles when India takes on the formidable Japan in the Asia-Oceania group ‘I’ Davis Cup tie beginning at the R.K. Khanna Stadium here on Friday.

As Paes said, it looked a ‘set deal’ as usual, when Bopanna’s name was again taken out in the draw to play the first rubber. It remains to be seen whether he can give India a good start or not.

Bopanna has been nursing an inflammation of his left knee for about a week, but argued that he would not have made the team if he was not 100 per cent sure about his fitness.

“I am looking forward to playing (Kei) Nishikori and put India 1-0 up. I hope Prakash Amritraj can make it 2-0 thereafter on the opening day,” was the optimistic observation of 28-year-old from Coorg.

“Had it been the regular circuit I would have been worried about being short of matches. But playing the Davis Cup at home is different. I am looking forward to my match,” said Amritraj.

“It is up to the boys to go out, perform and get the points on the board,” said Mahesh Bhupathi even as he conceded that the advantage was with India.

With two players ranked 118 and 156 — superior to that of Prakash (261) and Bopanna (325) — the Japanese have two fearless competitors who can break the myth of Indian invincibility at home. History may be on India’s side as it enjoys a 17-3 record against Japan, but currently Japan is the superior team, never mind the grass. The attempt of the visitors would be to prove that the numbers alone are not in their favour or for that matter, their supremacy is not just on paper.

Great relief

A perfect grasscourt, looking like a carpet in a concrete arena, may be to the great relief of the visiting team that has chosen Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda to play on the opening day.

Both Bopanna and Amritraj looked good and felt comfortable practising on the centrecourt.

“We are ready for the tie. It is time to play,” said Paes.

The Japanese were confident and said that their mission was to win the tie.

“I am a bit nervous but am glad to play the first match. I have seen Rohan play in the U.S. many times and I know his game well. I am ready,” announced the 18-year-old Nishikori, set to make his Davis Cup debut.

The 24-year-old Go Soeda, with a 10-3 Davis Cup win-loss record, said that he was not comfortable speaking in English, but assured that he felt no pressure. He may well be the dark horse.

The draw: April 11: Rohan Bopanna vs Kei Nishikori (10 a.m.), Prakash Amritraj vs Go Soeda. April 12: Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes vs Takao Suzuki and Satoshi Iwabuchi (noon). April 13: Amritraj vs Nishikori (10 a.m.), Bopanna vs Soeda.