Paes draws China No 2 in opener

India will once again look to Leander Paes to come up with something out of the ordinary, after his buddy Mahesh Bhupathi was ruled out of singles play, in the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Zone-I rubber which commences in Lang Fang city, China, on Friday.

India No. 1 Paes will open the campaign in the first round tie against Chinese No. 2 Wang Yu while former national grasscourt champion Syed Fazaluddin will play the second singles against the hosts' top player, Zhang Yu.

Still nursing the shoulder strain he sustained during the Australian Open last month, Bhupathi ruled himself out of the singles and will concentrate only on Saturday's doubles match.

Bhupathi will pair with Paes in the crucial doubles against the Chinese pair of Yang Jingzhu and Xu Ran.

In the reverse singles on Sunday, Paes will clash with Zhang Yu while Fazaluddin will meet Wang Yu in the fifth and final rubber, according to Thursday's draw.

India's non-playing captain Ramesh Krishnan was happy with the draw as Paes would be playing the first singles.

"I am happy with the draw as Paes would play first," Krishnan said. "I am confident we will be able to outplay the Chinese side in both singles tomorrow."

The non-playing captain said the Indian players have got somewhat adjusted to the cold and sub-zero temperatures in Lang Fang city, about 70 kms from Beijing.

Paes, said he wanted to play the first game and the draw turned out to be what he yearned for.

"I am fully fit and I hope to do well," the Indian ace said.

Chinese non-playing captain Wang Fu Zhang said his team has been preparing for this tournament for the past two months.

"Though the Indian side may have good players, we are confident of winning here," Wang said.

While China is nursing hopes of a miracle from its average players, on paper India looks too strong, with Paes back in the team after 10 months.

Paes last played for the country in April 2000, when India defeated South Korea 4-1 in New Delhi. Bhupathi was then recuperating from the shoulder surgery he underwent in November 1999.

India played Sweden in July last year in the World Group play-off and were soundly beaten 0-5, with Paes out of action due to a wrist injury he sustained in the mixed-doubles event at the French Open.

Bhupathi, Harsh Mankad and Fazaluddin formed the Indian team at Bastad, Sweden.

Paes and Bhupathi, however, are playing together in the Davis Cup after a gap of nearly two years and it should ring welcome bells for India.

India had thrashed China 5-0 when the two teams last met in the Davis Cup championship, in April 1999.

In a team competition, India had beaten China 2-1 in the Asia Cup tennis championship in New Delhi, with Bhupathi leading from the front. Yu Zhang, who had taken away a point, winning a singles match against Mankad, will look to repeat the same performance against Fazaluddin on Friday.