India will travel to the city of Biel for the World Group I first-round tie, which will be played on indoor courts from September 12.
Naresh Kumar, who famously mentored a young Leander Paes as India's Davis Cup captain, has passed away.
Bhupathi said home comfort and the X-factor of Calcutta South Club's grasscourts hold India in good stead in the tie
India's tennis great Mahesh Bhupathi on Saturday said his former Grand Slam winning partner Leander Paes is still playing well and can continue for another year. Terming it as 'The Last Roar', Olympics bronze-medallist Paes is in his last year of professional tennis career.
India's number one player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who achieved career-high 102 ranking this week, has been drawn against 22-year-old debutant Matteo Berrettini in the second singles rubber at the Calcutta South Club grass courts.
Second seed Ashutosh Singh and fifth ranked Vivek Shokeen scripted identical facile victories to romp into the second round of the Indian Oil Servo National Grasscourt Championships in Kolkata on Tuesday.
J Vishnu Vardhan and Rushmi Chakravarthy won the men's and women's titles respectively at the National Grasscourt Championship.
East Bengal's coach, who is employed with the anti-evasion department of Central Excise, was allegedly caught accepting Rs 150,000 from a businessman.
Leander Paes is the other singles player and will team up with Mahesh Bhupathi for the doubles in the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand.
The April 4-6 match will be held at the lush green grass courts of the Calcutta South Club.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Bhupathi's captaincy on line in Italy tie
Captain Mahesh Bhupathi, on Wednesday, made it clear that India won't miss veteran Leander Paes during their upcoming Davis Cup Qualifier against fancied Italy at Calcutta South Club on Friday-Saturday.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan will lead the singles challenge, while Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will make the doubles pair for the grass court tie.
World No. 16 Marco Cecchinato will spearhead Italy's challenge, while they also have the experienced world No. 37 Andreas Seppi as they look to continue their good record against India.
Andreas Seppi experienced some early hiccups before getting past Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 6-2 in the opening rubber, while 22-year-old Matteo Berrettini made a winning Davis Cup debut, cruising past India number one Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-3.
Keeping the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind, the sports ministry has included the doubles duo of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, who won the Asian Games gold last year, have been kept in TOPS scheme.
World No 15 India will now compete in the Zone Group action later this year.
Four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman of Great Britain has his money on Novak Djokovic as the favourite to win the Australian Open while Roger Federer's best chance to add to his kitty of 17 Grand Slams is at the Wimbledon, this year.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
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