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Lee-Hesh pulls out of Davis Cup tie against Serbia
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3 March 2011 |
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India's doubles stars - Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi - have pulled out of this weekend's Davis Cup World Group first-round tie against defending champions Serbia, starting Friday in Novi Sad, with wrist and back injuries.
The All India Tennis Association's media coordinator, R Chauhan, told TOI that while replacements for the veteran duo were hard to find, Yuki Bhambri and Karan Rastogi have been flown in to Novi Sad. While Rastogi has already reached the venue, Bhambri is expected there on Thursday. The young Indian side is up against a tall order that includes world No. 18 Viktor Troicki, No. 45 Janko Tipsarevic and doubles ace Nenad Zimonjic.
Chauhan said a desolate Paes had informed the AITA of his non-availability after an MRI on Tuesday. Paes' wrist is in a cast and he's likely to be out of action for up to 10 days. Bhupathi aggravated an old injury at last week's Dubai ATP event where the 'Indian Express' bowed out in the quarterfinals. "I've not been at 100 per cent for the last couple of weeks," Bhupathi said.
Paes, 37, said: "It's a degenerative injury. It troubled me first in 2009. My wrist has been sore right from Chennai and in Dubai it started to swell. I leave for the United States on Sunday for treatment and rehabilitation, first to LA where my doctor is and then to my training base in Orlando. I'm not sure if I can play Indian Wells which is two weeks from now. I'll have to just wait and see. I've missed just three Davis Cup ties before this one and it is obviously painful to have to stay out of a World Group tie."
India No. 1 Somdev Devvarman and doubles ace Rohan Bopanna, who has had some good results in singles play in the Davis Cup, have been in Serbia since Sunday to acclimatize and prepare for the tie. On a social networking site, Bhupathi messaged his teammates telling them the 'Indian Express' was "there in spirit". And spirit is what Somdev and Bopanna need to show in this weekend's clash.
India have always gone into a Davis Cup tie with either Paes or Bhupathi in the team since Paes (86-31 win-loss record) made his Cup debut in 1990. Novi Sad will mark a first for Indian tennis.
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Source: beta.thehindu.com |
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