Fed Cup shifted from China to Dubai

The ITF has named Dubai as the new venue for the upcoming Fed Cup that will be held from March 3 to March 7, 2020. The tournament was initially slated to be held in the Chinese city of Dongguan from February 4 to 8, but was shifted due to the threat of the killer coronavirus.

The Indian women's tennis team, thus, will travel to the desert city early next month to take part in the Asia/Oceania Group I matches. The edition will also see China, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Korea and Uzbekistan compete for a place in the Fed Cup Play-offs that will be held in April. Two spots will be up for grabs for the play-offs, the venue of which will be decided at a later date.

The month-long postponement of the Fed Cup, thus allows India's tennis ace Sania Mirza enough time to recuperate and recover from her calf injury that she aggravated during the Australian Open this year. After staging a remarkable comeback post pregnancy and birth, Mirza played her first professional game in two years at Hobart in early January. Partnering Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine, the Hyderabadi clinched the Hobart International to kick start the Olympics year on a high.

However, Mirza pulled out of the Australian Open that followed due to her calf injury, which forced her mixed doubles partner Rohan Bopanna to pair up with Kichenok in the year's first Grand Slam. Mirza, however, agreed to play in the double's event, but pulled out midway through the first round after aggravating the injury.

Vishal Uppal, India's Fed Cup captain is hopeful that the delay in the tournament will see Mirza back in the Indian squad. "The dates give enough time to Sania for her recovery. Doubles is an important point. Ankita is playing well. The other members will also get some tournament to play before the event. I think we have a good chance at the Fed Cup, but we will have to be at our best and fight hard for every point, every game, every set and every match," he told PTI.