The centre court at the DLTA Complex was basking in bright sunshine, and there was no trace of pollution on Friday, as the Indian players went about their task of preparing for the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie to be played against Togo.
The court, slightly on the slower side of pace. was spotless, as the whole arena was getting spruced up for the tie to be played on February 1 and 2.
The stands were getting painted, and the seats were getting washed. On court, the focus was on strengthening the basics and getting used to the pace of the court and the bounce of the Dunlop Australian Open balls.
Coach Ashutosh Singh went about the task of arranging suitable practice for Ramkumar Ramanathan and Karan Singh. The presence of the tall Chirag Duhan and the sharp-stroking Yuvan Nandal ensured that the players were gainfully occupied in honing their skill.
As the president of the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA), captain Rohit Rajpal had to take care of the numerous aspects of arrangements even as he greeted the players and kept them in good humour.
For once, the captain may not be under pressure in his seat, in the tie against Togo, even though he may always be reluctant to underestimate any opponent, irrespective of the significant difference in world ranking between the sides.
S. Mukund, Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli will join the team in the next few days. Aryan Shah named to assist the team along with Chirag and Yuvan would also join before the Togo team arrives on Sunday.
The presence of three physios should also make it easy for the players with their recovery after the day’s work.
The matches are scheduled for a 12 noon start on Saturday and Sunday. No wonder, the Indian team also chose to start its training at noon.
Coach Ashutosh kept the local youngsters ready, in case there was some need for their service.
Published - January 24, 2025 07:22 pm IST
