New Delhi, March 26: ``If I'm not 100 per cent fit I'll skip the Davis Cup,'' Mahesh Bhupathi has said, indicating that the chances, of him playing the tie against China in the Asia-Oceania group, remain pretty slim.``I don't want to risk it because I have an important week at Chennai. After thet there is the Delhi Challenger and then the Monte Carlo Open,'' the World No. 2 doubles player told The Indian Express from Mumbai.Bhupathi is in Mumbai, resting his hamstring, and pegged his chances of playing at 40 per cent.
Bill Norris, the ATP trainer who looks after the Indian team as well, examined Bhupathi at the Lipton Championship and seemed none-too-impressed with the way things were progressing. Norris reportedly told Bhupathi that playing doubles could be a distinct possiblity.
One hour of sprinting on the track at Indian Wells had left Bhupathi with a hurting hamstring. He has left it to Norris to make a final decision, which has been postponed to Thursday, the day of the draw.
Bhupathi, however,agreed the injury has not been `too good.' Since he has not picked up a racquet after the second round doubles match at Lipton, it would be a huge task for him to become match-fit. That is, if he becomes fit at all.
Nirupama ousted
MUMBAI: India's top-ranked woman Nirupama Vaidyanathan crashed to 2-6 4-6 to Virginie Razzano, an unseeded French 15-year-old but the No 2 junior in the world, in the second round of the $25,000 Dinans Challenger at France on Thursday. Nirupama, partnering Lubomira Bacheva (Bulgaria), also lost in the doubles first round.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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