Indian captain says it's 50-50 in doubles

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 13 2016 | 8:57 PM IST
Indian captain Anand Amritraj today hinted that Saketh Myneni could be Leander Paes' partner for the doubles rubber in the World Group Davis Cup play-off tie, in which he thinks the hosts have a "good chance" to earn a point against the formidable Spain.
Not only India but Spain are also undecided about the doubles combination as the two captains said the pairings would depend on proceedings of the first day.
Amritraj said if Saketh is not drained out completely on the opening day, he could well be fielded on Saturday.
"I am waiting to see end of day one. How long and tough is the first match for Saketh. We have three options," Amritraj said at the pre-draw press conference where Spicejet was announced as sponsor of the Indian team.
Spanish captain Conchita Martinez also said that outcome of the first day will determine who they field on Saturday.
They have French Open champions Mark and Feliciano Lopez and Rio Olympics gold medallists Mark and Rafael Nadal to choose from.
In a sort of damage control, Amritraj said in hindsight he feels playing in the evening is a good option as he would need Saketh to play on two days in absence of Rohan Bopanna.
"I changed my mind. Now we don't have Rohan anymore. Saketh has to be ready for two matches. If we had played in the morning, would have been tougher. In hindsight, looks like a good option," he said as the packed press conference burst into laughter.
The 64-year-old, though, said he still has fitness concerns about his players even though the matches would be played in the evening.
"I am still worried about fitness issues. Just because sun is not beating down at 5pm, it does not mean it is not humid. It's still tough, even for the Spanish guys as well. In morning, they looked like half dead, Feliciano Lopez I am talking about. In our case, our guy has to be in good shape to give it a best shot," he said.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 13 2016 | 8:57 PM IST

Next Story