Ram Kumar Ramanathan will take on Seong-Chan Hong, ranked more than 200 places below him, in the first singles match of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania group-I tie between India and South Korea starting in Chandigarh on Friday.
AITA chief Anil Khanna says Indian men stand a chance of winning a medal at the Rio Olympics, though mixed doubles remains the country's best bet.
Not used to playing singles anymore, India's Rohan Bopanna found rhythm in nick of time to edge past Hong Chung before Yong-Kyu Lim prevented a Korean whitewash with a gritty win over Ramkumar Ramanathan in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group I tie, in Chandigarh, on Sunday.
Rohan Bopanna advised the Indian youngsters to get fitter to negotiate the challenging conditions after he had to play the fourth rubber of Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie against South Korea instead of Saketh Myneni who skipped due to fitness issues.
India won the opening singles to take a 2-0 lead over South Korea on Day 1 of the Asia/Oceania Group-I tie against South Korea, in Chandigarh, on Friday. After young Ramkumar Ramanathan made a winning Davis Cup debut, scoring a hard-fought 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-5 (15-15) victory over Seong Chan Hong in the first singles, Saketh Myneni got the better of Yong-Kyu Lim 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 5-2.
Veteran Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna outclassed the Korean pair of Seong Chan Hong and Hong Chung in straight sets to guide India to the Davis World Group Play-offs as the hosts took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie.
With wet conditions caused by incessant rain adding to the challenge, veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes said the team which adapts quicker will have the edge in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I tie between India and South Korea starting, in Chandigarh, on Friday.
Forget the past and communicate as much as possible -- that's how Rohan Bopanna plans to make his partnership with Leander Paes click in next month's Olympics as he feels there is no point in holding on to the bitterness which has marred Indian tennis. Bopanna, who wanted to play with Saketh Myneni but was teamed with Paes by AITA for Rio, says it's better to forget a few episodes. And he credits the tough and lonely life on the ATP tour for helping him overcome such setbacks. Bopanna and Paes are here for the Davis Cup tie against Korea. They will play on Saturday against Hong Chung and Yunseong Chung.
Beset by injuries to singles players and 'mistrust' between the Rio-bound doubles players, India would expect young Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni to rise to the occasion when they face Korea in the Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie, starting, in Chandigarh, on Friday.
As the year 2016 draws to a close, vote for the best Indian sportsperson of the year.
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