India has been drawn to play at home against this season’s quarter-finalists Italy for the 2019 Davis Cup qualifiers, which will be held from February 1 and 2 next year. The draw was made in London on Wednesday.
While Italy lost the quarter-finals, India were knocked out after losing the playoffs 0-4 to Serbia. But India’s higher ranking in the Asia-Oceania zone meant India entered the competition as part of the top 24 teams.
12 winners from the qualifiers will progress into the revamped 18-team semi-finals, which includes the four semi-finalists from this year as well as the two new wildcard entries – Argentina and Britain. The semi-finals will be played from November 18 to 24.
“Happy we got a home tie,” said captain Mahesh Bhupathi, quotes TOI, stopping short of naming the venues he would love to play in India.
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“We will have to talk to everyone. It’s too early and we don’t need to let them (Itlay) know (about the surface) now.”
Italy holds a 1-4 record against India in the Davis Cup, with India winning the tie in Kolkata, 1985 while Italy was victories in 1988 in Genoa.
Meanwhile, the four semi-finalists – France, Croatia, Spain and the United States will directly take part in the semis.