ITALY HINT AT CHANGING DOUBLES PAIR

It is over to the doubles now, and like he did with the singles line-up, choosing Matteo Berrettini over their top-ranked singles player Marco Cecchinato, Italy Davis Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti kept alive an element of surprise.

“We can change the doubles combination one hour before the match. We still have time to change the team,” he said.

Italy have penciled in Cecchinato and Simone Bolelli but Barazzutti’s comment sparked speculation whether he would give Berrettini a chance given that the 22-year-old has won a doubles title with Fabio Fognini. Even Andreas Seppi could play but if Italy lose, it could mean their No 1 player will need to be back on court in 20 minutes for the reverse singles.

On Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan rests India’s hopes. They left soon after Friday’s singles as Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan practised here.

“Yesterday we had a job, today we still have the same job only it has got a lot harder. We are not the kind to give up because we have all played Davis Cup. We have been there, done that. India has been down 0-2, if you count in the last 15 years, a lot of times. How many times have we come back? I think twice against Brazil and China. Now it is up to us to see if we can do it

tomorrow,” said Bhupathi.