PUNE/NEW DELHI, NOV 19: India's hopes of clinching a hat-trick of Asia Cup tennis titles may receive a jolt well before the tourney gets under way on November 23 at New Delhi.According to reliable sources, a shoulder injury may prevent India No 2 Mahesh Bhupathi from participating in the championship.It has been learnt that Bhupathi's doctor has advised him a 20-day rest immediately after the ongoing ATP World Doubles Championship at Hartford. This means Bhupathi will have to skip the ATP Challengers at Lucknow and Jaipur as well.Although the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) has today confirmed Bhupathi's participation, he is expected to announce his non-availability only after the World Doubles Championships.Leander Paes and Bhupathi, now engaged in the last big doubles battle of the century in Hartford (Connecticut), were expected to star in the $84,000 MTNL Asia Cup.At least four players have overtaken Paes, ranked 200, but only two of them - both Uzbeks - are playing in thetournament which has been an India show ever since it began in 1997.Thai Paradon Srichaphan, highest ranked Asian at 105 (November 15 rankings) is giving Asia Cup a miss, preferring the Challenger at Lucknow to the team event.Japanese Goichi Motomura, at 147, is not part of the team. So is Takao Suzuki, the star of Bangkok Asiad. Oleg Ogorodov, ranked 131, leads the Uzbek challenge.With Lebanon pulling out at the 11th hour, only seven teams will be participating. The India A have the latest sensation Sunil Kumar leading the second line of Indian talent.The league matches will be held on November 24-25, semifinals on November 26 and final on November 27. The draw will be held on November 23.India may not get the top billing this time as both Japan and Uzbekistan have been seeded ahead of them in Davis Cup. If the Asian Tennis Federation decides to go by the Davis Cup seeding, India may well find themselves in a sticky situation.Moreover, the going may not be smooth for the two Indiansuperstars who could be faced with tough battles not seen in Asia Cup in the last two years. Also, they have to prove that they are the best in the continent and the rankings be damned. Paes and Bhupathi are expected to join the team on November 23.The winners get $22,000 and the finalists $14,000.TeamsIndia: Jaidip Mukherjea (captain), Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Prahlad Srinath, Syed Fazaluddin; Sandeep Kirtane (reserve).India A: Shyam Minotra (captain), Sunil Kumar, Mustafa Ghouse, Vishaal Uppal, Vijay Kannan; Vinod Sridhar (reserve).Korea: Chung Min-Cheol (captain), Baek Seung-Bok, Kim Dong-Hyun, Lee Seung-Hun.Japan: Takeuchi Eiji (captain), Kato Toshiharu, Terachi Takahiro, Tokumaru Masashi, Satoshi Iwabuchi.Uzbekistan: Aleksey Yolkhin (captain), Oleg Ogorodov, Vadim KutsenkoThailand: Col Shrisuka Yudhanta (captain), Narathone Srichaphan, Samrej Vittaya, Pisutharnonth Ekkarin.
