Davis Cup: India bank on old hand Leander Paes to crack Czech puzzle

Tomas Berdych will spearhead the Czech challenge.

He has won a majority of his doubles titles by partnering players from the Czech Republic. Now, the Indian Davis Cup team seems to be relying on Leander Paes to counter the challenge posed by a full-strength Czech team — led by world No. 6 Tomas Berdych — that is expected to travel to India next month.

It is learnt that Paes has made himself available for the World Group playoff tie, which will be played in Delhi from September 18 to 20, and is likely to return to the squad when the All India Tennis Association’s selection committee meets in a week’s time. The AITA is still waiting for a written assurance from the veteran before they take a final call on the team. Paes will partner Rohan Bopanna, who is the country’s highest-ranked doubles player at the moment. Bopanna and Saketh Myneni had suffered an embarrassing straight sets defeat to New Zealand’s Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie, a result that nearly cost India the tie.

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India are expecting Czech Republic to field a full-strength team, especially since they are fighting to keep intact their record of not dropping outside the competition’s elite since 2006. Apart from Berdych, India are expecting Radek Stepanek, Lucas Rosol and Jiri Vesely to be a part of the Czech team. The final nominations will be made 10 days prior to the tie.

While doubles rubber counts for just one point, AITA is hoping Paes’s experience of playing alongside Czech players can be a crucial factor. Five out of the eight Grand Slam doubles titles Paes has won have come partnering Czech players (two each with Stepanek and Lucas Dlouhy and one with Martin Damm). “It will be a big boost to have Leander in the team. That will give us the edge at least in one rubber of this extremely difficult tie,” a member of the selection committee said. “He has communicated verbally to us that he will be available, but we will wait for a written assurance from him before selecting the team.”

India were extremely close to achieving promotion last year but were edged out in a deciding fifth rubber by Serbia. They have never beaten Davis Cup powerhouse Czech Republic in three meetings, although the last tie was in 1997. Davis Cup team coach Zeeshan Ali did not confirm Paes’ availability for the tie, but said India will field its best possible combination.

Rio preparations

With Paes and Bopanna also the most likely pairing for next year’s Olympics, the players are also likely to discuss the possibility of playing a few tournaments together in the build up to the Games. The preparations for the London Games in 2012 were severely hampered after Bopanna refused to partner Paes, who was country’s highest-ranked player back then, instead choosing to pair up with Mahesh Bhupathi. Paes eventually had to partner Vishnu Vardhan in the doubles.

With Bhupathi not in the fray this time and no other player fighting for the spot, the team selection for Rio seems straightforward. “It’s important that we chalk out a plan. Whom to partner on the tour is a players’ prerogative but we will have a word with them,” the selection committee member said. “We will see if they can play a few tournaments together ahead of the Games.”