Billie Jean King Cup (previously Fed Cup) - India

[sameerph]

So, our team is selected for this year's BJKC cup Asia Oceania qualifying tournament which will be held in Pune from April 7.

This is our team-

Ankita Raina, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari, Prarthana Thombare.

Reserve: Maaya Rajeshwaran.

Captain: Vishal Uppal;

Coach: Radhika Kanitkar.

So, Vishal Uppal is back as coach which is good news I think.

There is some discussion on if Maaya should have been part of the team and not a reserve. I am not quite sure considering that I do not know who from the main team would have been dropped to make way for Maaya. Maybe let Maaya take her time and the way she is progressing next year should be part of main team.

[jayakris]

I would not bother Maaya to come and play this. Let her not disrupt her training and coaching in Spain. There will be plenty of time for Maaya to join our team, maybe in a year or two.

[ericcw]

Is she required to come as a reserve? Can she focus on training and tourneys in Spain instead if she is anyway not in the playing team.

[deekshith_ttr]

From my understanding Maaya would be required to be present with the team , Aryan Shah was the reserve player for Davis Cup and he was with the team whole time, he had to skip Chennai Challenger since he was only in qualies which couldn't make it.

[ericcw]

That is sad. I wish AITA hadn't done that to disrupt her schedule if she is anyway not picked to play.

[jayakris]

This is standard BS from AITA. Thoughtless crap. Leave Maaya alone for God's sake.

[jayakris]

From my understanding Maaya would be required to be present with the team , Aryan Shah was the reserve player for Davis Cup and he was with the team whole time, he had to skip Chennai Challenger since he was only in qualies which couldn't make it.

By the way, welcome to the forum, Deekshith. Feel free to introduce yourself, though not required! Moderator, Jay

[arjun2761]

Hope that the AITA consulted with Maaya on whether she wanted to be a reserve. Generally, a younger player on a Davis cup or BJK team is expected to gain experience by watching and interacting with accomplished pros. However, in this case, Maaya may be better served with observing and working with her coaches at her Academy.

[prasen9]

If you need a diplomatic solution, Maaya should seek out a friendly doctor and just send AITA a doctor's note that she needs to rehab at the academy - assuming she is not playing elsewhere that week, of course

[deekshith_ttr]

From my understanding Maaya would be required to be present with the team , Aryan Shah was the reserve player for Davis Cup and he was with the team whole time, he had to skip Chennai Challenger since he was only in qualies which couldn't make it.

By the way, welcome to the forum, Deekshith. Feel free to introduce yourself, though not required! Moderator, Jay

Thanks a lot Jay, myself Deekshith from Bangalore, Engineer by profession but a passionate Tennis lover and Rafan by heart Lol.
Have played Tennis at college levels but never any serious Tennis. Have been following Indian tennis closely for past one year , would love to contribute which ever way possible to grow the sports.Mostly want to introduce my daughter 5 years old to Tennis in couple of months and let's see where the journey takes. Thanks

[rajitghosh]

Hope that the AITA consulted with Maaya on whether she wanted to be a reserve. Generally, a younger player on a Davis cup or BJK team is expected to gain experience by watching and interacting with accomplished pros. However, in this case, Maaya may be better served with observing and working with her coaches at her Academy.

Joining a team that is part of an association led by Rohit Rajpal is a waste of time. She should not come. In Spain she would get complete training- not only tennis on the court but endurance and strength training, flexibility drills, tactical classes and the likes. In India she would be expected to be a hitting partner to the senior players and then would have to attend useless press conferences and eulogise Rajpal. She would get far better hitting partners in Spain and no useless distractions.

[sameerph]

Rohit Rajpal is captain of our davis cup team, fed cup captain is Vishal Uppal. Overall, I agree that Maaya should not be travelling here if she is just a reserve. She better not waste her 2 weeks training/tournaments time for just coming in as a hitter.

In the press release issued by AITA has selected the team based on player availability. That statement puzzled me as our top 4 singles players are available and chosen. So, what change did they make due to which players being not available ? Did they want to select Maaya and she conveyed that she will not be available and they named her as reserve. Lets wait and see if she is going to travel here.

[jayakris]

^^^ Maybe Rajit was talking about Rohit Rajpal pretty much running AITA now? I have no authentic info, but the rumors wafting around was that Rohit had got elected as president (but the election results are in sealed envelopes with the High Court and not announced, because of the case filed by Somdev and Purav against AITA).

[ericcw]

I wish we had patriotic people in charge of Indian Team selection

[rajitghosh]

^^^ Maybe Rajit was talking about Rohit Rajpal pretty much running AITA now? I have no authentic info, but the rumors wafting around was that Rohit had got elected as president (but the election results are in sealed envelopes with the High Court and not announced, because of the case filed by Somdev and Purav against AITA).

Yes that is exactly what I meant. Isn't it obvious?