Sunil makes it to big league

Asian junior champion Sunil Kumar Sipaeya was today named in the five-member Indian Davis Cup team which will take on Australia in the World...

Asian junior champion Sunil Kumar Sipaeya was today named in the five-member Indian Davis Cup team which will take on Australia in the World Group qualifying encounter in Adelaide from September 20 to 22.

The Indian challenge will be led by Cup veteran Leander Paes and top doubles player Mahesh Bhupathi with Ramesh Krishnan as the non-playing captain.

Upcoming youngsters Harsh Mankad and Rohan Bopanna take the other two spots in the squad which will face world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt and co.

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Sipaeya replaces Prahlad Srinath in the only change in the team which beat New Zealand 4-1 in the Asia-Oceania group I tie in Wellington in April.

“Sunil had the talent right from the beginning. He is only 19 years. There was a slump in his form in betweeen but he has won tournaments in recent months,” said Shyam Minotra, chairman of the All India Tennis Association selection committee. “We leave it to the captain to decide on whom to play. It will be entirely his selection,” Minotra said.

Minotra attributed the delay in the selection of the team to the time needed in verifying the eligibility criteria of Prakash Amritraj who lives in the US.

The ITF rules, however, prevent Amritraj from playing for India, he said.

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Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippousis, Wayne Arthurs, Scott Draper and Todd Woodbridge form the Australian team led by non-playing captain John Fitzgerald.