Indian Fed Cup team favourite to qualify: Piperno
February 1st, 2010 - 8:48 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) India’s Fed Cup coach Enrico Piperno feels Indian girls are the favourites to qualify for the Asian-Oceania Group-I stage in the Feb 3-6 competition at Kuala Lumpur’s National Tennis Centre.
In the absence of an injured Sania Mirza, India were relegated to Asia-Oceania zone group II after losing to Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) 3-0 in the playoff last year.
But with a fit Sania back in action, Piperno says chances of India are “extremely bright.”
“Last year Sania was battling injury problems and we missed her. Now she is back and hitting the ball well at the practice. Sania has always enjoyed team atmosphere. She looks relaxed and is here with her mother,” said Piperno, dispelling all doubts of a possible strain on Sania after her recently broken engagement.
“The team is looking good now and raring to go. I feel we are the favourites to qualify,” Piperno told IANS Monday.
India, at 43rd position, is top ranked country in the group that also has Hong Kong China, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Syria. The seven teams will be divided into two pools and the winners of both pools will face each other for a place in Group I.
“We have two strong teams in Hong Kong China and Kyrgyzstan in the group. In Kyrgyzstan especially, there are lot of Russians coming to the country and playing which poses a real challenge for the Asians. Imagine, an unknown country like Kyrgyzstan had two
players in top-100 last year. But then we are likely to meet them only in the later stages of the competition,” Piperno said.
While Sania is the obvious choice for the first singles players, 19-year-old Poojashree Venkatesha, who had a good run on the ITF circuit last year, is likely to play the second singles.
“I think it is a great opportunity for Poojashree to go and prove that she can do it. I think she has the potential. As for the doubles we are trying various combinations but we are yet to finalise on one,” Piperno said.
Rushmi Chakravarthi and Sanaa Bhambri are the other two members of the team with Rohit Rajpal as non-playing captain. The draws will be made Tuesday.
- India play Singapore first in Fed Cup - Feb 02, 2010
- Fed Cup: India promoted to Asia-Oceania Group I - Feb 06, 2010
- Fed Cup: India outplay Singapore, play Malaysia Friday - Feb 04, 2010
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- Tennis mom Nirupama in Indian team for CWG (Lead) - Aug 19, 2010
- Sania and Poojashree too good for Malaysians - Feb 05, 2010
- India can hope for a rich haul of tennis medals - Sep 14, 2010
- Somdev top seed, Sania second in CWG tennis singles - Oct 01, 2010
- Sania Mirza to lead India in Fed Cup - Dec 26, 2011
- Asian Games tennis: Sania breezes into second round, Poojashree loses - Nov 18, 2010
- Indian to take on New Zealand in Fed Cup tennis - Feb 03, 2009
- Somdev, Sania to lead India's challenge in Asian Games tennis - Oct 22, 2010
- Junior Davis Cup: India open against Chinese Taipei - Apr 17, 2011
- Asian Games: Women's wushu silver, 9-0 hockey victory, Saina, Vijender move ahead (Roundup) - Nov 17, 2010
- CWG tennis: Sania-Chakravarthi win bronze - Oct 10, 2010
Tags: asia oceania, asians, chinese taipei, combinations, doubts, fed cup, hong kong china, indian girls, kuala lumpur, kyrgyzstan, national tennis centre, New Delhi, pools, russians, sania mirza, singles players, taipei taiwan, team atmosphere, unknown country, zone group