Tennis: Kiwis face rankings challenge in Davis Cup clash with India

Kiwi No2 Michael Venus will have to adapt from a doubles-heavy year for an encounter with Indian No1 Somdev Devvarman. Photo / Jason Oxenham

New Zealand will be battling the rankings when they take on India in this weekend's pivotal Davis Cup tennis tie in Christchurch.

With the winner of the Asia/Oceania Group 1 clash moving a step closer to a spot in next year's World Group, the hosts will have to upset the form book to achieve that aim.

Opening the tie today will be Kiwi No2 Michael Venus, who will have to adapt from a doubles-heavy year, for an encounter with Indian No1 Somdev Devvarman.

Venus, now ranked 44th in the world in doubles, has seen his singles ranking slip to 548th due to his inactivity in the format. He did reach the second round of the Heineken Open in Auckland last summer and also won his singles match in Davis Cup against China earlier in the year, but he will have his work cut out for him in a contest against the 148th-ranked Devvarman.

The pair know each other well, with several players on both sides going through the US school system, and have clashed once in singles play, with the Indian coming out the winner in three sets.

The second match will feature Kiwi No1 Rubin Statham (345th in the world) against Indian No2 Yuki Bhambri (151st), with Statham hoping his commitment to Davis Cup play can bridge a disparity in the rankings.

The doubles will see the predicted teams of Artem Sitak (43rd in the world) and Marcus Daniell (66th) against Rohan Bopana (10th) and Saketh Myneni (171st).

Doubles has been a key to New Zealand's recent success but, with Bopana having reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, the match will provide plenty of intrigue.

With the reverse singles set Sunday and the tie expected to last into the final day, Kiwi captain Alistair Hunt said his side were up for the challenge. "The boys are raring to go," he said.

"They all know each other well and both teams know there's only going to be a few points in it.

"We're expecting some really good competition this weekend with a good reward for the winner," said Hunt.

That reward will be a September encounter with one of either the United States, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland or Brazil, with a crack at a place in the 2016 World Group on the line for the New Zealanders.