India’s Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal believes there is no better opportunity than a home tie to nurture future Indian Davis Cup stars. Speaking ahead of the World Group I play-off tie against Togo, scheduled for February 1-2, Rajpal highlighted the significance of playing on home soil.
The Indian squad for the tie includes Sasikumar Mukund, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Karan Singh, N. Sriram Balaji, and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli. Mukund, ranked 368, is the highest-ranked player in the team and returns to the squad after his last appearance against Morocco in Lucknow.
Captain Rajpal expressed his excitement about hosting a home tie after playing four of India’s last five fixtures away, including the historic match against Pakistan in Islamabad.
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“Playing in home conditions is always an advantage. We have travelled extensively over the past two or three seasons. While the slow hard courts at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) are ideal, especially if Sumit Nagal had been available, the conditions will still work in our favour. Perhaps we would have opted for grass courts had we known earlier about Sumit’s unavailability,” said Rajpal, who also serves as the DLTA president.
Togo, led by Thomas Steodji, has secured notable wins against Latvia, Indonesia, and Benin, making it a formidable opponent.
“I won’t call it a cakewalk, but this tie is a great opportunity to groom the next generation of Davis Cup players. Playing at home allows us to maximise the home advantage and the support of the fans,” Rajpal added.
The Indian team will begin preparations on January 23 at the DLTA Complex. Aryah Shah, Chirag Duhan, and Yuvaan Nadal have been added to the training squad, providing them with valuable exposure to the Davis Cup environment.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com