Bhupathi likely to skip Davis singles

India number two Mahesh Bhupathi is likely to skip the singles matches in the Davis Cup tie against China, in Beijing, next weekend, the team's captain said on Thursday.

"Mahesh has not ruled out playing singles, but his shoulder injury is at the back of our minds.

"Also, he hasn't been playing a lot of singles tennis of late. He may not play, but we'll make a final decision on reaching China," Ramesh Krishnan said.

Krishnan said Bhupathi, who missed most of last year with a shoulder injury, would play the doubles with partner Leander Paes in the February 9-11 tie.

The winner of the zonal group tie will play Thailand or Japan for a place in the World Group play-off.

Bhupathi has not played a singles match since losing a close first-round tie at the Indian Open in Madras on January 1.

Paes and Bhupathi finished 1999 as the top ranked doubles partnership in the world after they won the Wimbledon and French Open titles.

The pair then split up last year due to personal problems, before reuniting for the Sydney Olympics in September.

If Bhupathi does not play singles, India's Davis Cup hopes will be pinned on Paes.

Syed Fazaluddin, Prahlad Srinath and left-hander Nitin Kirtane are the other members of the Indian team.

India last reached the Davis Cup final in 1987, losing 0-5 to Sweden.