Billie Jean King Cup (previously Fed Cup) - India

[jayakris]

^^^ So true. We have almost never seen any tactical moves like that by Indian teams. They always just roll with the best options, hoping for they all to hold up somehow. That too, the "best options" picked will almost always be just as they are on paper and ranking; and not on the basis of practice form or anything either.

Yes, Ankita should rest up, to get back on tour. She has done her job well, ensuring that we didn't get relegated, with that comeback show against Thailand.

[arjun2761]

While I don’t know why they will do, won’t be surprised if they go for the win against Korea. Finishing 3rd behind much stronger Japan and China is likely something that they will value…

[Dinesh]

Vaidehi finally makes her debut. And started off with a break off Dabin Kim.

[prasen9]

If Ankita is very fatigued or has some small dings, she should rest to not risk injury, etc. If not, getting 3rd is of value and not just relegation or promotion. And, we should go for it.

[jayakris]

^^^ This would be the honorable thing to do, but I would simply love to mess with China if we can, though

Vaidehi played a good match but fell 62 46 46. Korea stays alive. Now Rutuja has taken a lead 75 00 over Yeonwoo Ku... Update: Rutuja drops the second set. 75 26 00

[sameerph]

Rutuja wins the third set 62 and the match. We are tied at 1-1.

Ankita-Rutuja are playing doubles.

[jayakris]

We dropped the first set 4-6 but are up 4-1 and serving in the second set. China lost the first match. Both Korea and China seriously worried. India can decide whom to send to the world group

[jayakris]

We lost the doubles 46 62 36... So we finished 2-3, and in the 4th spot... Korea finished 3-2 and China must win against Japan to keep Korea out of world group. China can't say we didn't try to win (but I love it that we have done our best to screw them up too )...

[Dinesh]

Jay manifested it

[jayakris]

Not going well for now, for China... Hontama up 75 00 on Zheng.

[jayakris]

Hontama won 75 62, so China stays in Asia with us, and Korea advances to world group with Japan. Me likey

[sameerph]

Just went back and read some posts in this thread since start and Ankita has been part of this team since 10 years back in 2013. Actually in that year Ankita was brought in the team late to replace injured Ankita. And we have remained in this group since that year ( also progressed to world group once) .

Actually Rutuja was part of the team a year earlier in 2012 when she was just 15. But, Rutuja missed a few years in between but Ankita has been there every year.

Kudos to these 2 and especially Ankita for serving the team for a decade

[ornatebrute]

Love it that Korea ended as #2. But from an Indian standpoint, I think it's always better to hope that, if not India, Japan and China go through everytime. When they play the world group play off, only China and Japan, with their best team available ofcourse, have a shot at beating other teams. And that means they've a better shot at making it to world group qualifiers and leaving the space empty for India in the Asia/Oceania Group 2. Only then will India have bigger chance of making it to WG qualifier playoffs every year - otherwise it probably will be playing Asia/Oceania Group 1 just trying not to get relegated to group 2. Next year, we'll be having 2 of Indonesia, Hong Kong or Chinese Taipei in the group 1 with us, which are much stronger and we can't even hope of one easy win like we had against Uzbekistan.

[Atithee]

Actually in that year Ankita was brought in the team late to replace injured Ankita.

Kudos to these 2 and especially Ankita for serving the team for a decade

Especially to Ankita as she replaced herself despite being injured.

[jayakris]

^^^ But did you consider that Ankita Raina might have been replacing Ankita Bhambri? [The only problem is that Ankita Bhambri was not playing FedCup in 2013, if I am not mistaken ]