TIANJIN (CHINA), April 5: Veteran Leander Paes will make yet another attempt to create the Davis Cup record for the most doubles win as India clash with China in their den in �brutal� cold conditions for a place in the World Group Play-offs, starting here tomorrow.
The 44-year-old Paes is tied on 42 wins with Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli and one more win will make him the most successful doubles player in the history of Davis Cup.
Paes had a chance to the make the record when India hosted New Zealand in Pune in February 2017 but doubles was the only match India lost in that tie.
What followed in Bengaluru against Uzbekistan was an avoidable controversy as captain Mahesh Bhupathi chose to put Paes on bench, fielding Sriram Balaji with Rohan Bopanna.
Those were two chances when Paes could have got that coveted record in front of his home fans but now after reclaiming his place in the team on the back of some stellar show in the last few months, he has to do it thousands of miles away from home in alien conditions.
�Playing China in China will be tough. They have got a junior who won the (junior) US Open, plus they have a tough doubles team, which beat a good New Zealand side. It�s going to be tough. The Chinese play well together as a team. It�s wonderful after 29 years to go for a world record for India. I am happy to be back in the Indian team. But for me it�s important for the team to win the tie,� Paes told PTI in an interaction. � PTI
