Davis Cup: Ramkumar Ramanathan to open India's campaign against Serbia

Ramkumar Ramanathan will open India's campaign against fifth seed Serbia in the World Group Play-off tie, starting at Kraljevo, in Serbia today. He will face Laslo Djere in the first Singles. 

 

Djere is ranked higher than Ramkumar at number 86 but he is yet to win a match in Davis Cup. On the other side, Ramkumar is placed 135 in the world but is far more experienced, having played six ties with a 7-5 Win-Loss record.

 

In the second Singles match, left-handed Prajnesh Gunneswaran, will take on Serbia number one Dusan Lajovic.

 

On Saturday, Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji will take on



the home pair of Nikola Milojevic and debutant Danilo Petrovic in the doubles rubber.

 

The reverse singles will be played on Sunday with Ramkumar taking on Lajovic and Prajnesh, ranked 162, locking horns with Djere.

 

Ramkumar has played against Lajovic in 2017 and had emerged victorious but the Serbian is in form of his life as he recently beat US Open finalist Juan Martin Del Potro.

 

India are without top singles player Yuki, who is nursing an injured knee. Saketh Myneni is the fifth playing member of the squad and talented Arjun Kadhe is there as a reserve player.