India to host Italy in Davis cup qualifiers

PUNE: India have been drawn to play Italy at home in the Davis Cup Qualifiers to be played from February 1 to 2. The draw was made in London on Wednesday.

Italy were one of the four losing quarter-finalists from this year to make the qualifiers while India, who lost the playoffs away to Serbia earlier this month, made the cut by virtue of their higher Davis Cup ranking in the Asia-Oceania zone.

The 12 winners from the knockout qualifying round will advance to the revamped 18-team Finals — including this year’s four semifinalists and two wildcards (Argentina and Britain) — to be played from November 18 to 24 at a venue yet to be announced. The Finals will feature league-cum-knockout format.

“Happy we got a home tie,” said captain Mahesh Bhupathi. He, however, would not comment on which city would suit the Indian players’ strengths. “We will have to talk to everyone. It’s too early and we don’t need to let them (Italy) know (about the choice of surface) just now,” he said.

Considering that European players are used to playing on clay, India might choose either hard or grass court for the tie. Yet, the weather could be the key in deciding the venue.

Given the cooler climate in Chandigarh and Kolkata in February, the team management could prefer the relatively warmer climate of Chennai in the south.

Italy, who have five players in top-100 in singles including the temperamental world No. 13 Fabio Fognini in their ranks, hold a 4- 1 record against India.

The last two meetings between the teams had been in the World Group first round, with India winning on grass in Calcutta in 1985 and Italy prevailing on clay in Genoa in 1998.