The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : India to meet Romania

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India to meet Romania

Special Correspondent

TENNIS / Preparation starts: Paes

NEW DELHI: Skipper Leander Paes said he had already started thinking about the World Group play-off and the best preparation towards it, after news came in from the ITF headquarters in London, that India would play Romania away in the Davis Cup tie scheduled to be held from September 19 to 21.

“It is a tough draw. I expect them to choose a slow hard surface or clay. They do have some good players. Considering that we have played our last two ties at home on grass, it is going to be interesting to see how we shape up for the challenge away from home,” said Paes, in the Capital for the Olympic torch relay, on Wednesday.

Romania, which lost 5-0 to France in the first round of the World Group this season, is expected to field its regulars Andrei Pavel, Victor Hanescu, Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau.

Somdev Dev Varman, a good clay court player, will be turning a full-time professional soon after his collegiate education in the U.S., and Harsh Mankad has been recapturing the good form of the past.

Together with current heroes Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj, who played a splendid role in India’s 3-2 triumph over Japan at home, it will be healthy competition for the singles slots in the squad.

Incidentally, Japan had lost 3-2 to Romania in the World Group play-off last year.

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