India drawn to meet Sweden in away tie in September

The Indian Davis Cup team had blanked Pakistan 4-0 in the World Group I playoffs in Islamabad last week while Sweden lost 1-3 to Brazil at home in the Qualifiers first round.

India’s Naib Subedar N Sriram Balaji in action during the playoff against Pakistan in the Davis Cup World Group Stage 1. | Photo Credit: ANI

India was on Thursday drawn to meet Sweden in an away Davis Cup World Group I tie in September.

The Indian Davis Cup team had blanked Pakistan 4-0 in the World Group I playoffs in Islamabad last week while Sweden lost 1-3 to Brazil at home in the Qualifiers first round.

India has never defeated Sweden in five meetings so far but will have a great opportunity to get its first win as the hosts do not boast of intimidating singles players.

The last time India competed against Sweden was in 2005 when India hosted them in Delhi and lost 1-3.

Sweden has a very talented Elias Ymer, who is ranked 160, in its ranks. India has higher-ranked Sumit Nagal (121) and if he is available, it will be an interesting tie.

India captain Rohit Rajpal seemed happy with the draw, considering that it could have been drawn against Novak Djokovic-led Serbia.

“The away ties are tough because the surface choice is with the home team. It will depend on what surface they choose to play on. We could have drawn tougher teams and now we have to make full use of this draw,” Rajpal told  PTI.

Ymer and his brother Mikael (189) feature in top-200 and are followed by Dragos Nicolae Madaras (256), Karl Frieberg and Leo Borg. They have a top-100 doubles player in Andre Goransson (67).

India has five players in the doubles top-100, led by world number one Rohan Bopanna, who though does not play Davis Cup anymore. He is followed by Yuki Bhambri (60), N Sriram Balaji (78), Vijay Sundar Prashanth (80) and Anirudh Chandrasekar (90).