Davis Cup: India to Take on Canada in World Group Playoffs

India will face Canada in their World Group Playoff to qualify for the World Group in the Davis Cup. India will have to fight it out in an away tie for a place among the elite 16-nations when the Playoffs take place from September 15 to 17. It will be first ever clash between the two teams in Davis Cup history. India qualified for the Playoffs for the fourth straight year after beating Uzbekistan 4-1 in a home tie last week while Canada had lost 2-3 to Great Britain in the World Group first round in February.

"It will be a fun tie. They have some top players, which will challenge our boys to play at a higher level," India's non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi told PTI.

Canada boast of world number six Milos Raonic in their line-up but the 2016 Wimbledon runner-up had missed the last tie against Britain due to an injury.

Vasek Pospisil, ranked 119, had led the Canadian attack and they had lost the tie in a freak manner. In the deciding fifth set, trailing two sets to love, Canada's Denis Shapovalov (ranked 172), out of frustration hit a ball which struck the umpire in the face and the tie was awarded to Great Britain.

Canada have another player in top-150 in Peter Polansky, who is ranked 127.

India had no problem in dispatching lower-ranked Uzbekistan players. Prajnesh Gunneswaran and N Sriram Balaji made good debuts but the spotlight went to unending Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi saga, who yet again fought publically over team selection.

(With inputs from PTI)