The talented Yuki Bhambri returned to India’s Davis Cup team along with 29-year-old Saketh Myneni even as veteran Leander Paes was left out of the squad for the team’s World Group Play-off tie against Canada in September, reported PTI on Monday. The tie will be held in Edmonton on indoor hard courts on September 15-17.
Apart from Bhambri and Myneni, Ramkumar Ramanathan, who created a ripple by beating world No 8 Dominic Thiem will be the other singles player in the team. The sole doubles player in the team is the world No 17 Rohan Bopanna. Prajnesh Gunneswaran and N Sriram Balaji have been included as reserves. The team will be led by non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi.
Both Bhambri, who recently beat world No 22 Gael Monfils at the Citi Open in Washington, and Myneni had missed the Asia/Oceania Group I second-round tie against Uzbekistan in Bengaluru in April this year due to their respective injuries.
The 44-year-old Paes was included in the six-man squad for the Uzbekistan tie, but was left out of the final four-man team by Bhupathi, in what was his first Davis Cup tie as the Indian skipper.
Upset and embarrassed, Paes had left the venue mid-way into the tie, prompting Bhupathi to reveal on social media that he had never promised Paes a spot in the final playing team and that his departure was the final nail in the coffin.
Paes needs one more win to claim the world record for most Davis Cup wins in doubles. He is tied on 42 wins with Italian legend Nicola Pietrangeli.