By IANS,
New Delhi : Indian Davis Cup team’s hopes of getting a home tie were dashed Wednesday as they were drawn to meet Romania in the World Group play-off away from home.
India defeated Uzbekistan and then Japan to make it to the play-off round first time since 2005. India will now meet the World No. 4 Romania from September 19-21 on clay courts. Romania are in the play-offs for the third successive year.
India, ranked 24, do not boast of a good record against Romania. The two sides met three times and India won only once, in 1922.
The two last met in New Delhi in 1971 when Romania won 4-1 and before that in 1992 in Bucharest the home team swept to a 4-0 victory. India’s only win came in Beckenham, England, where they blanked the Romanians 5-0.
Romania whose best Davis Cup performance came when they ended runners-up in 1969, 1971, 1972 when they had Victor Hanescu, ranked 68, and Andrei Pavel (93). Pavel also had a doubles ranking of 31.
Only Romania, Argentina and India have contested more than one final without winning the Davis Cup.