Billie Jean King Cup (previously Fed Cup) - India

[jayakris]

Yeah,I would send Sahaja in for singles 2 and Vaidehi for singles 1 against Uzbekistan - resting Ankita and Rutuja. At least one of them should win. Then if needed send Ankita/Rutuja for a doubles match. Then make a run at the Koreans on day 3 with Ankita and Rutuja. Then rest them again versus China, and send them in to make a run against Japan. If all goes well, the Japan vs India match on day 5 will be for the second spot.

... but things won't all go well, usually

[sameerph]

But is that the order of matches at least ? I do not see anything beyond tomorrow's matches on official website for match schedule unless I missed something.

[jayakris]

^^^ Atually I was mistaken. Read too much into how things were listed on the official ITF page. Yes, there is no info there beyond tomorrows tie.

But this article says - "India will take on China, South Korea and Japan in their remaining Group I matches in the following days" (after tomorrow's tie against UZB).

So, it won't be as clean as I thought. Would need to see what to do against China. May be not exert too much and have two practice matches to get ready for Korea and Japan? Basically, we need to conserve energy for Rutuja and Ankita. But overthinking this might also become bad karma. Let us see what Shalini comes up with.

TWO teams will get relegated though. Assuming that UZB is the worst team, one among Thailand, India and Korea will get relegated. If Thailand beats Korea and India does not, there could be a chance we might get eliminated in a three-way tie among them. This assumes 5-0 for China, 4-1 for Japan and 0-5 for UZB. Then 2-3 for IND/THA/KOR.

But it looks like the Korea tie is the most important. So, even if Rutuja and/or Ankita play tomorrow, both should be rested in the third tie against China, to be fresh against Korea after that. Win tomorrow and then on day 4, and we are safe.

Did I get that right?

[sameerph]

Yes, but not really sure if Korea is on day 4 or day 3. Hopefully day 3 as after we are clear where we are.

I am actually not really thinking about relagation now. I would have if we had lost against Thailand today. I think we will beat Uzbekistan and Korea who brought their top 2 players. It will be an upset if Korea beats us.

I am more thinking about if we can pull some surprise against Japan.

[jayakris]

Actually, 20 year old Yeonwoo Ku (KOR,421) is a pretty good player capable of beating Rutuja and possible even Ankita. But others in the Korean team are not that good, but 26 year old Dabin Kim was once in the top-325, so she is a good player fully capable of beating Ankita. Yes, it would be a bit of an upset if Korea beats us, but it won't surprise me.

I wouldn't take chances on Ankita being out of energy against Korea. She may be fully needed for that. She should be rested in the China tie come what may.

Yes, but not really sure if Korea is on day 4 or day 3. Hopefully day 3 as after we are clear where we are.

Come to think of it, yeah. The above article might not be giving the order of play and might be just giving the names of the 3 remaining teams.

[ornatebrute]

On her good day, Ankita can defeat China #1 Zhu Lin, as she has previously, including the Fed Cup tie back home in India. Zhu Lin has a game VERY similar to Ankita (just more consistent on her serve and doesn't get broken as often). She just had a meteoric rise in her ranking courtesy AO 4th round and her first WTA title at the age of 29, after so many years of fence-sitting around top 100. For some reason, I'd fancy a China upset more than a Japan upset this time. Those Japanese girls are fairly consistent top 200 singles players. And Hozumi/Aayoma are world class doubles players, whom even Sania struggled to beat with her partners on many occasions.

[jayakris]

We won 3-0 against Uzbekistan. Rutuja won 57 62 64 over Olimjanova and then Ankita won against Yuldasheva 64 62. Then Shrivalli and Vaidehi beat Kahramonova and Valihanova, 61 60.

[sameerph]

Yes, no rest for Rutuja and Ankita.

So, 2 out of 2 wins for us thus far. And in a major surprise today, Korea upset China. Surprisingly China did field their top 2 players again today and fielded Yan Xaojuan who is basically a doubles top 20 player but no singles ranking and Wushuang Zheng who is ranked 430.

So, what is up with their top 2 singles players ? Are they injured ? Then we may have a real chance of upsetting them.

[jayakris]

Yeah, what the heck is up with China? Why or how did they lose to Korea??

Thailand didn't send Khumkhum and Plipuech for singles against Japan and lost 1-2 too. So India and Japan with 2-0 starts, THA and UZB with 0-2, and then CHN and KOR at 1-1 now. Very unsure of what is going to happen from now on.

[sameerph]

Yes, very difficult to say as we do not know who is fielding whom in next match. But, I think we now have a real chance of even finishing in top 2.

China did not field their best in first 2 matches and today Japanese #1 Uchijima who is ranked 123 lost to a Thai player ranked 394. So, both China and Japan look much more beatable than in earlier years.

We play China tomorrow.

[Dinesh]

So, Zhu Lin must be injured or something that China again fielded an unranked player as their #2, who’s now facing Rutuja. And Ankita plays Yue Yuan later, whom she leads 2-0 in H2H. Let’s go, Team India!

[sameerph]

So, Zhu Lin must be injured or something that China again fielded an unranked player as their #2, who’s now facing Rutuja. And Ankita plays Yue Yuan later, whom she leads 2-0 in H2H. Let’s go, Team India!

Yes, but those wins by Ankita were back in 2016 and 2019 when I think Yue Yuan was not that highly ranked. Now Yuan is ranked 123 and Ankita is 221. So, it will be a big upset if Ankita beats her. Unranked Jian Xingyu did qualify in Jakarata W25 last month and also won a round in main draw. She was previously ranked in 500's/

But, you are right. This is still the best chance for us to beat China.

[Dinesh]

Rutuja loses the first set 6-3 with one break of serve. Can she come back from this?

[sameerph]

Rutuja loses 36 57. Unfortunately, Rutuja does not appear to be in the best of the form this week. Lost against Thailand and now China. Also lost a set against an unranked player from Uzbekistan. We should have tried Vaidehi or Sahaja yesterday against Uzbekistan and would have given us an idea how it goes.

Now, it will be very tough for Ankita as she will be under pressure to win against much higher ranked player.

[prasen9]

Ankita does not care. She will fight. But, whether she will have it physically, especially if it goes to the doubles rubber is something we worry about. And, that is why Shalini Thakur was stupid playing both of them yesterday.