New Delhi: The India Davis Cup team was routed 4-1 at the World Group play-off by Romania at Bucharest.
Even though playing Romania in their own backyard was a tough draw for India but the loss has put a big question mark on the future of Indian tennis.
India's only win in the tie come, as expected, in the doubles rubber where Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi defeated the Romanian duo Horia Tecau and Adrian Cruciat 6-4, 7-6 (0), 6-4.
Though the Indian Express have taken their combined Davis Cup tally to 22 wins and just two losses, but with age catching up the worry lines very much visible.
"We feel absolutely desperate about our inability to throw up players who are close to 100. We have good 16-17 years old but after that it takes a minimum of four years of top class handling and play to get to 100, " former Davis Cup skipper Naresh Kumar said.
With Rohan Bopanna being dropped to accommodate the young Somdev Devvarman, India's No. 1 singles player Prakash Amritraj had a lot of responsibility but failed to make a mark yet again.
A record of seven wins against 11 losses is an indicator of how he has fared in Davis Cup.
"At the moment we have Somdev. Then we have another young player Yuki Bhambri coming up . So there are a couple of good players who are 16-17 years old and we have to put lot of money on these young players," former tennis players Akhtar Ali said.
The only spark in India's campaign at the play-off was the young Somdev. The in-form 23-year-old may not have won a rubber against Romania, but he is a talent that needs to be persisted with.
"Get hold of Somdev and give full back, no half-hearted stuff. Don't give him $50,000 tell him to do it. If you are going to do it, do it properly," Naresh Kumar added.
India's last appearance in the World Group came in 1998. Surprisingly, despite the success in the 90's Indian tennis has failed to throw up new talent.
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