Bopanna opens India's Davis Cup play off campaign

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) Rohan Bopanna will take on Dmitry Makeyev in the first singles of the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group 1 relegation play-off against Kazakhstan at Almaty tomorrow.

The second singles will be between Karan Rastogi and Kazakh top-ranked player and ITF Futures regular Alexei Kedryuk as per the draw made in Almaty today.

Twenty-six-year-old Bopanna will pair up with captain Leander Paes in the Saturday's doubles against Kedriouk and Makeyev.

Bopanna will then face Kedriouk in the first reverse singles and Rastogi plays Makeyev in the second rubber scheduled for Sunday, according to information received here today.

The two teams are playing for the first time in the history of the men's team tennis competition and the winner of the tie stays in Group 1 for next season while the loser is pushed to a final round of play-off in September.

India had to feature in the play-off after their 1-4 loss to Uzbekistan in away tie in February.

First Rubber: Dmitry Makeyev vs Rohan Bopanna Second Rubber: Alexei Kedryuk vs Karan Rastogi Third Rubber : Alexei Kedryuk/Dmitry Makeyev vs Rohan Bopanna /Leander Paes Fourth Rubber: Alexei Kedryuk vs Rohan Bopanna Fifth Rubber: Dmitry Makeyev vs Karan Rastogi UNI