India’s upcoming tennis player Prakash Amritraj is highly optimistic about India’s chances against Uzbekistan feeling that the hosts are clear favourites to win the upcoming Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I tie starting from February 8 in the capital.
Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of DLTA Tennis courts, “India are clear favourites, although, we lost the preceding tie at their home but it will be a different ball game here this time around,” Prakash resonated, after having an hour-long practice session under the watchful eyes of coach Nandan Bal.
Prakash, who arrived in the capital on Friday, also cleared the air about his fitness issues that was looming after the Indian withdrew from the Challengers singles in Guangzhou at the eleventh hour.
“I am completely fit and playing good tennis,” Prakash Said.
“The cold was unbearable there. I withdrew as a protective measure for the upcoming Davis Cup tie,” he said.
Prakash is running high with confidence against top Uzbek singles player Denis Istomin, as had beaten him twice in their prior meetings.
Though Istomin is 83 places above Prakash in the ATP world rankings, the US-based Indian has certainly a psychological edge over the 184th ranked Uzbek.
Prakash defeated Istomin in a Challenger tie in Vietnam and in a Davis Cup tie two years back in Jaipur.
“Istomin is certainly a much better player. He played well against Hewitt in the Australian Open. But I have nothing to worry about as I had played against him twice and won on both occasions,” he pointed.
Meanwhile, the Uzbekistan team had a three-hour long practice session at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) but that too on the hard courts. Though the NSCI authorities has promised to make available grass courts to the visitors from Friday, but they failed to keep up their words, as the courts weren’t still ready.
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