Wild card for Somdev; Berdych top seed in Chennai Open

Chennai: India's No.1 singles player Somdev Devvarman was on Thursday, accorded a wild card entry while World No.6 Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic has been given the top billing in the 18th ATP Aircel Chennai Open commencing here next month.

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Davis Cup 2013 | India to host South Korea

India will host South Korea in a Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I first round tie, which will be held from February 1-3 next year.

India has been seeded fourth in the Group I while Australia got top billing in the eight-team group. India had retained its place in Group I after routing New Zealand 5-0 in the play-off tie in Chandigarh last month.

The last time India played South Korea was in 2006 when it had lost 1-4 in the away tie. South Korea had suffered a crushing 0-5 defeat against Australia in Brisbane in their last tie.

India’s Davis Cup non-playing captain S.P. Misra was pleased to see his team getting second consecutive home tie.

“The home tie is always an advantage. Our boys always play well at home. It’s a good draw for us,” Misra told PTI.

TIE PREVIEW (On Davis Cup Website)

These two teams have met eight times in the past with Korea Rep. leading their head-to-head 5-3. But one must go all the way back to 1989 for the last time that the Koreans overcame the Indians on Indian soil.

The last meeting between these two sides also went the way of Korea Rep. as the North East Asian nation was led to victory by Hyung-Taik Lee in 2006. Gone are the days when they have the luxury of a player with a career-high ranking of No. 36.
Instead the Koreans will have to be at their very best if they are to overcome an Indian team which could include a number of variations - all of which will be a match for their visitors.

Both teams find themselves in Zone Group I in 2013 after fluctuating campaigns in 2012. The Koreans won their 1st round tie against Chinese Taipei but were whitewashed by Australia in the next round.
The Indians were defeated in a close encounter with Uzbekistan in the first round of Zone Group I in 2012 but saved their spot in this tier by clinching victory against New Zealand in a first round relegation play-off.

Davis Cup | Young Guns made India stays in Group |

Vishnu Vardhan scripted a clinical singles victory and then combined with Divij Sharan to win the heart-stopping doubles rubber as India's young guns lived up to the expectations by winning the Davis Cup Group 1 relegation play-off tie against New Zealand here on Saturday.

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