AITA takes stand,drops ‘rebels’ from Davis Cup squad

Other regulars like Somdev Devvarman and Leander Paes have opted out of the Asia Oceania Group II tie. While Devvarman has cited his lingering shoulder injury,Paes is keen to base himself in the US before the last Grand Slam of the year and play the World Team Tennis finals for Washington Kastles. It is learnt that Paes’s decision hasn’t gone down too well with the selectors but they have said that the “committee felt it was the appropriate time to build a strong junior team.”

The selectors have named six players — Yuki Bhambri,Vishnu Vardhan,Saketh Myneni,Divij Sharan,Sanam Singh and Sriram Balaji — for the tie. While Vardhan and Sharan have tasted doubles success at the Challenger level,Saketh and Sanam,who have both played Collegiate tennis in US,have won multiple Futures singles titles this year. Sriram Balaji won five back-to-back matches last week to reach the quarters of a Challenger in singles after going through the qualiying rounds.