Waiting for the kill after a good draw

:The taut muscles on his neck relaxed a wee bit. A shadow of a smile spreadacross Leander Paes' lips as state governor SM Krishna picked the ball thatcontained the name of Pakistan's Aisam Qureshi on it.Qureshi,Pakistan's No. 1 seed, was drawn to play India No. 2 Rohan Bopanna in theopening singles match of the Asia Oceania Group 1 tie that begins at theBrabourne Stadium on Friday. Subsequently, Pakistan's No. 2 Aqueel Khan willtake on India No. 1 Prakash Amritraj."I am very happy with thedraw," said captain Paes. "Rohan wanted to play in the morning while Prakash waskeen on the afternoon start. So, India couldn't have asked for betterluck."Now the bitter truth. In the only clash between Qureshi andBopanna, the Pakistani triumphed 6-3 in the the third set. That was on hardcourt. "It doesn't matter at all. This is Davis Cup and on a different surface.Both sides will be pumped up. The draw has set the adrenaline flowing, thebutterflies have settled," said Paes."We're friends too," chimed inQureshi. "But playing Rohan in front of a supportive home crowd will not beeasy." A few days ago, Paes had commented that Pakistan are a one-man side. Itmay not be entirely a misplaced hubris. A lot of thought and careful planninghas gone into holding the match at the Brabourne Stadium. Pages from India'scricketing past unfolds dramatically with every step into the stadium.Forty-three years ago, the venue had also hosted a Davis Cup match. Paes &Co couldn't have asked for a better turf as they begin to retrace their stepsback to the World Group.
India vs Pakistan intennis is not a rivalry that's been dramatically chronicled in comparison tocricket and hockey. And, playing Pakistan in a zonal tie, Paes and MaheshBhupathi would agree, is one of the lowest plinths of their career as well asIndian tennis history. India have been one of the longest-serving nations in theWorld Group, three times Davis Cup finalists too. For the record, India enjoy a100% record (see box) against Pakistan in Davis Cup contests.Thoughboth have similar games, Qureshi's better return of serve gives him the edgeover Bopanna. Amritraj defeated Khan last year and is expected to do so again.Specialists Paes-Bhupathi should be able to gobble up Pakistan's doublesdebutant pair of Jalil Khan and Asim Shafik. There are apprehensions that thiscontest may be decided on Sunday when the reverse singles will beplayed.Paes, who has scripted many potboilers with the tricolourfirmly pinned to his chest, has not ruled out playing singles on Sunday. "Yes,I'm open to it," he said. "I'll consider playing singles if the need be." That,tennis aficionados will hope, is only as a last resort.