Billie Jean King Cup: India confident for Thailand tie, says Uppal

India will face Thailand in the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I opener in New Delhi. Captain Vishal Uppal is confident in his team's preparation and readiness, hoping home support will be the X-factor for the squad.

Team India Confident Ahead of Opener

The Indian team will begin its campaign in the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tournament against Thailand at the DLTA Stadium on Tuesday, according to a release.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital, India captain Vishal Uppal expressed confidence in his team's preparation and readiness to perform in front of the home crowd. "We are used to much hotter conditions in April in Delhi," Uppal told the media on Monday. "But the weather is something we can't control. We can control our practice sessions, and we've had some good practice sessions. And I feel the team is ready to really give it their best and perform at their optimum level."

Squad Depth a 'Good Problem'

The Indian squad comprises Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalappalli, Ankita Raina, Rutuja Bhosale and Zeel Desai, who joined the team at the last minute following injuries to Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Vaidehee Chaudhari. While Uppal did not reveal his singles line-up for the opening tie, he emphasised that having multiple options reflects the growing depth in Indian women's tennis. "That's for me to know and for you to find out on match day," Uppal responded when asked about who would play the singles rubbers. "If I have a problem picking up players for a tie, then that's a good problem to have. That just tells me there's depth. So, I'm happy having that problem than having a problem where I don't have players. I think it's a good problem for me to have and that also shows the depth of women's tennis now. There are players, for example, Zeal was just playing a tournament last week and we asked her to come here and she came here to be with the team."

Player Perspectives

Twenty-one-year-old Vaishnavi Adkar, who climbed to India No. 1 in the rankings on Monday and is set to make her debut for the national team, described the experience as a special moment in her career. "First of all, it's an honour to be on this team representing the country. And it makes it even more special because all of us are on the same team. It's very rare that we get to play on the same team and all of us are on the same side of the net. So it's really a privilege to be on the same team and all of these girls. And we're just looking forward to all the matches."

Veteran Ankita Raina, who has represented India for over a decade, echoed the captain's confidence, highlighting the team's preparation and belief. "We know the players. We've played against them," Raina said. "And we know their strengths and weaknesses. So we are prepared. We'll see who we are playing each day and obviously how the ties are going. We'll have an idea about it, how they are feeling in these conditions, and we're going to take it match by match, day by day. And like everyone said, we have done it before. We've done it outside of India. And we have achieved the same performance goal in India. So I think we are here and everyone believes in it."

Cultural Welcome for Teams

On Sunday evening, the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) hosted a vibrant welcome dinner in the capital for the participating teams. The evening blended culture with sport, as members of the Indian team arrived in elegant sarees, adding a distinctly Indian touch to the international event. Players, captains and officials from India, Indonesia, The Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Thailand attended the gathering, which provided a relaxed setting ahead of a week of intense competition. Anil Jain, President, AITA and Kartar Singh Tanwar, Member of the Legislative Assembly also graced the occasion.

Call for Home Support

Matches at the DLTA Stadium will begin at 3 PM daily, with free entry for spectators.

Uppal signed off the press conference, expressing hope that strong home support would play a decisive role for the Indian team. "I hope Delhi NCR comes out in large numbers and supports the women's team and really becomes the X factor for us. We're really looking forward to putting our best foot forward. DLTA has always been a happy hunting ground for us. So, let's hope we can do that again and come Saturday, we have a bigger smile on our face." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)