Internet Desk: India was dealt a blow ahead of its Davis Cup World Group Play Off tie against Canada. Saketh Myneni will be replaced by Purav Raja in the doubles tie. Myneni was dropped from the squad due to fitness concerns. However, there is some good news for the Indian team as Ramkumar Ramanathan is drawn against an easy opponent in debutant Brayden Schnur.
Ramkumar, ranked 154, will open India’s campaign at the World Group Play-off tie against the 22-year-old Schnur, ranked 202 while Yuki Bhambri will play a crucial second singles against world number 51 Denis Shapovalov.
Schnur will replace Vasek Pospisil (82) as he has been going through a rough patch of late.
As far as India is concerned, Myneni is still to recover fully to last five sets. Raja has been added to the squad at the last moment when N Sri Ram Balaji, one of the two reserves named initially in the squad, twisted his ankle during the training camp in New York. It will only be the second Davis Cup tie for Raja. The Indian pair of Purav Raja and Bopanna will take on seasoned Canadian pair Daniel Nestor and Pospisil.
On the final day, Yuki Bhambri will take on Schnur and Ramkumar will lock horns with Shapovalov in the reverse singles.
Indian captain Mahesh Bhupathi expressed his satisfaction after the draw. According to Bhupathi, “The draw is favourable. We were expecting Schnur to playFriday and wanted Ram to start.”
Asked to explain change in nomination for the doubles rubber on Saturday, the Indian captain said,
“Doubles we feel, this is our best team keeping in mind Saketh not yet physically ready to play a tough five set match.”
The Indian team is making is fourth straight attempt to make it to the elite 16-nation World Group, having lost to Serbia (2014), Czech Republic (2015) and Spain (2016) in the Play-offs in the last three years.
Bhambri, ranked 154, has an onerous task to get a point from world number 51 Shapovalov, who is in red—hot form, having beaten the likes of Rafael Nadal, Jo Wilfred Tsonga and Juan Martin Del Potro recently.