Fed Cup team gets down to work

NEW DELHI, February 9: The Indian Federation Cup team minus Uzma Khan did time at the Delhi Tennis Association courts here on Monday afternoon.The team, comprising four of India’s best players Nirupama Vaidyanathan, Uzma Khan, Rushmi Chakravarti and Arati Ponappa, is preparing for the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group II matches at Bangkok later this month. Nirupama, looking radiant after a fortnight’s break in hometown Coimbatore, had a good workout with B M Balachandran while cousin KG Ramesh was in attendance at the courtside. Nirupama has not yet decided whether she will play the WTA events at Bombay and Delhi. Meanwhile, practising on the other courts were Rushmi Chakravarti of Tamil Nadu and Arati Ponappa of Karnataka. In the absence of the official coach of the side, Nandan Bal, the DHAITA chief coach Balram Singh is handling the camp. Uzma, who is in Chandigarh for the second leg of the ITF Junior circuit, will join the team in Delhi later.