India can get back into the World Group: Bopanna

Addressing media ahead of the tie, Bopanna spoke with a lot of confidence, which is a result of his consistent showing on the ATP tour where he remains a contender to win big tournaments including Grand Slams. “We have done it in past. Rankings don’t matter (Czech have two top-100 players). Then there is heat, so it depends on which player controls all of it better. We have a great shot at getting back into the World Group,” Bopanna, who has managed to come out of the shadows of veterans Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in the last two-three years, said. Bopanna and Paes had pulled off a tough match against world number two Serbia, exactly a year back in Bangalore, and he believes that an encore is possible this time around. But he said irrespective of the Czech team combination, they have a tough job at hand.

“We don’t know who will play (in doubles). I know maybe Radek will be playing but who will play with him. Whether it is Lukas or Vesely or the other guy (Adam Pavlasek). It’s an experienced team. They are not only in the World Group for such a long time but have also won it twice. We have to play our best tennis,” he said.