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India meet Brazil at home in Davis Cup World Group play-off

May 11, 2010 21:22 IST

India will compete at home against Brazil in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie from September 17 to 19.

After a long time, India have home advantage. They played all their matches outside the country in recent times.

Since India had played its last tie against Brazil in that country in Sao Paulo in 1991, India got a home tie.

India lost to Russia in March in the first round of the World Group to get to the play-offs while Brazil whitewashed Uruguay 5-0 in the semi-finals of the America Zone Group I competition to give themselves a chance to re-enter the World Group.

Brazil last played in the World Group in 2003 while India got to the World Group after a long gap of 11 years.

The head-to-head score between India and Brazil is tied at 1-1.

The winning nation will advance to next year's World Group first round while the losing country will compete in its respective Zone Group.

India have done well in the Davis Cup since the coming of Somdev Devvarman, who has done extremely well in the singles.

However, Brazil also have good top-100 players in their ranks. Their top player Thomaz Bellucci is World number 26. Ricardo Mello (92) and Marcos Daniel (99) are in the top-bracket.