India face tough challenge in Asia Cup

Former champions India face a tough task of keeping their morale high, in the absence of tennis ace Leander Paes, and a difficult draw handed to them with a opening tie against South Korea, in the four-nation ATF Asia Cup 2000, which gets under way in Delhi on Tuesday.

Regional powerhouse South Korea have arrived with their Davis Cup team, which includes current Asian top player Hyung-Taik Lee and Yong-Il Yoon, making them pre-tournament favourites.

The format of the Asia Cup, which hitherto had eight men's teams contesting for honours, has been changed with the women's event being included from this year's fourth edition.

Besides India and Korea, Thailand and China are participating in the men's event, while the women's tournament will see three teams -- India, Thailand and China -- vie for Asian supremacy.

Doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi will lead the Indian challenge with Davis Cuppers Harsh Mankad, Syed Fazaluddin and national hardcourt champion Nitin Kirtane completing the quartet.

Davis Cup captain Ramesh Krishnan is the non- playing captain.

India is drawn to meet Korea on Wednesday while Thailand and China face each other in the inaugural tie on Tuesday.

In the women's section, the Indian girls open their campaign on Tuesday against Thailand with their second tie against China on Wednesday.

The draw for the $90,000 event was made by Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley, with tournament referee Nao Kawatei of Japan assisting him.

The tournament will be played on round-robin basis, with the top two teams making it to the final in each category. Each team will play two singles and a doubles tie in the three-match rubber, organisers said.

Indonesia, in the women's section, and Uzbekistan, in the men's, were last minute withdrawals.

"Indonesia has had problems confirming their tickets as all the flights to Delhi were overbooked," said S Uttarapati, executive director of the Asian Tennis Federation.

Defending champions Uzbekistan have cited Davis Cup preparations by their players, in Europe, as the reason for non-participation, Uttarapati said.

This being the last event of the season, India will be looking to finish on a high note. With the participation of China, the hosts will have to be more watchful.

India is to meet China in Beijing in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I zonal rubber from February 9 to 11.

The Chinese are here with their Davis Cup team and both the teams will be carefully watching each other's weaknesses.

Korea, meanwhile, look too strong, with the in-form Hyung- Taik Lee in their side. Currently ranked 99th on the ATP Tour ranking list, Lee created waves when he reached the fourth round of this year's U S Open, beating a few estalished names before losing to the eventual finalist Pete Sampras.