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Koreans confident of doing well

Our Correspondent

South Korea's captain Won Hong Joo and coach Bong Soo Kim were optimistic of doing well in the April 7 to 9 Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Round II tie against India.

Their confidence was based on the fact that doubles ace Mahesh Bhupathi is not part of the team.

The Koreans, including four players -- Asian Games gold medalist Hyung-Taik Lee, Yong-il Yoon, Sung-Hoon Lee and Hee Sung Chong -- the non-playing captain and coach, arrived in Delhi late on Sunday night and got down cracking this afternoon at the NSCI courts.

Bong Soo Kim, who was a member of the team which beat India in the 1989 Davis Cup at Barauch and then in Seoul in 1990, was of the opinion that Bhupathi's absence will be vital and advantageous to his team.

"We are going to concentrate on doubles because Bhupathi is not around, and the second singles because it will be tough to beat Leander on grass," he said.

Though they haven't yet decided on their actual doubles pairing, it is likely that Hyung Taik Lee will team with Yong Il Yoon.

While admitting that his players had virtually no experience on grass, Kim said they came prepared after a week's training on a grass at Johar Barou (Malaysia), a similar surface they expect to be playing on during the upcoming tie.

"There is no grass in Korea. In fact, we are not used to grass, but we're prepared," he said.

He, however, was aprehensive about the heat, saying it could have an impact on the performanece of some of the players though non-playing captain Won Hong Joo was quick to piont out: "It should be no problem. After all, we won in Barauch while playing under 38 degrees celsius."