Callous opening

In what seemed a hastily organised opening ceremony, participants were 8216;normally8217; dressed, sans blazers and with no country placard accompanying the flag bearers at the SAAP Tennis Complex centre-court today.

On Wednesday All India Tennis Association secretary-general Anil Khanna had said that there was very little time to get the event going since sanction came in August. It was supposed to explain the chaos that preceded the meet, in what one expected to be a grand opening ceremony.

Several former Davis Cuppers were aghast in the manner the ceremony went about. The 12 players 8212; managers in tow 8212; who lined up for the ceremony couldn8217;t be identified. Players of the six nations China, Japan Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Philippines and host8217;s India were 8216;normally8217; dressed. 8220;It was an honour wearing the national blazer, tracksuit,8221; said an aghast former Davis Cupper. None in the Indian team 8212; Rohan Bopanna, Sania Mirza and manager Enrico Piperno 8212; sported blazers, tracksuits or a flag.

Davis Cupper S.P Misra said: 8220;And they call it a team event, wonder what Leander Paes 8212; a fanatic when it comes to representing India 8212;would have to say about it.8221; Imagine such an opening ceremony at a Davis Cup or a Fed Cup.

Having suffered the no-choice-but-to-wait option for a little under an hour, thanks to chief guest AICC general secretary and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh8217;s busy by-poll election campaigning, the players were requested to line-up again! For the players it was an hour and-a-half of ordeal.

Sania leads the way

Hyderabad: Taking off from those memories of Sania Mirza8217;s first and only WTA title, she regaled her home crowd, and set the lead for India to beat China 3-0.Sania was clinical and with breaks in the 5th and 7th she was up a set up in 24 minutes vs Zhang Shuai, finally winning 6-2, 6-2. Rohan Bopanna followed up with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Gong Mao-Xin before the two paired to beat Zhang/ Gong 6-2, 6-4.

Bopanna8217;s tie vs Gong took exactly 60 minutes, Bopanna sending down 11 aces. Gong, ranked almost 700 places below, was at a loss. Bopanna had breaks in the 4th first set and 3rd and 5th in the second set.

The mixed doubles, saw the Indians 8211; who undoubtedly are favourites going by the 114 and 24 ranks they boast of 8211; polish off the Chinese. A couple of meters away from centre court, Chinese Taipei Taiwan wiped out Phillipines 3-0.