Delhi is likely to host the Davis Cup qualifier between India and Italy in February 2018. Despite losing to Serbia in the World Group Playoffs, India have a second chance as they will play in the knockout qualifiers on February 1 and 2 to finalise their place in the finals for the upcoming season.

India will play hosts to Italy in the qualifying round of the Davis Cup on February 1 and 2 next year. India holds a higher rank than Italy in the Asia-Oceania zone and was announced to host the match by virtue of that but the city for the qualifiers is yet to be decided by the Indian body.

Ramkumar Ramanathan has fought tooth and nail in an encounter against Laslo Djere of Serbia, but the latter eventually got the better of him by a margin of 6-3, 4-6, 6-7(2), 2-6 in the opening singles of their Davis Cup tie. Now, India trail Serbia 0-1 in the World Group Play-off tie in Kraljevo.

The Indian Davis Cup team will kick-off their campaign against Serbia as Ramkumar Ramanathan will take on World No.86 Laslo Djere in the group play-off tie on Friday. Coach Zeeshan Ali downplayed the absence of India’s top-ranked singles player, Yuki Bhambri, who is nursing an injury.