India out of reckoning after 1-2 defeat against Uzbekistan

Nonthaburi: Commonwealth Games bronze medallist pair of Sania Mirza and Rushmi Chakravarthi

lost the decisive doubles rubber as India suffered a 1-2 defeat against Uzbekistan and faced relegation to the Asia Oceania Group II in the Fed Cup here on Thursday. It was India`s second consecutive defeat in Pool A of Asia Oceania Group I in as many days and to stay in the Group, the team will have to win the play-off tie after the group stage. India needed to win the tie to stay in hunt for promotion to World Group II but the experienced pair of Sania and Rushmi suffered an unexpected 6-2, 3-6, 3-6 defeat against Nigina Abduraimova and Albina Khabibulina. After losing to China yesterday, India needed a good start in today`s tie but Poojashree Venkatesha failed to do that, surrendering 1-6, 2-6 to Sabina Sharipova, who is 65 places above the Indian at number 469. However, 135th-ranked Sania brought India back with a 6-4, 6-1 win over 555th-ranked Abduraimova in the second singles at the National Tennis Centre. But, in the decisive doubles rubber, the pair of Sania and Rushmi lost, denting India`s chances of progress. The winners of both the pools (A and B) will compete in play-offs to decide which nation progresses to World Group II play-offs, to be held on April 16-17. The team finishing third and fourth in each group will compete in a play-off to stay in Group I as the loser will be relegated to Group II. India were promoted to Group I last year when they won all the three ties, beating Singapore, Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan without losing a rubber. India`s best Fed Cup performance came in 2006, when it ended as the runner-up in Asia/Oceania Zone Group I. PTI