I am playing Fed Cup against doc's advice: Sania

NEW DELHI: Having missed out on last year's action, Sania Mirza is braving multiple injuries to spearhead India's campaign in the Fed Cup women's team tennis competition.

Sania said that despite some serious injury concerns and doctor's advice to not play, she was keen to represent India in the Asia-Oceania zonal qualifying tie to be held in Seoul, Korea, from April 19 to 22.

"As an athlete, I am always taking risk. Sometimes you do have to take risk, and this is going to be a bigger risk," the 19-year old said after a practice session with her teammates Ankita Bhambri and Isha Lakhani at the R K Khanna stadium.

Sania has injuries to her wrist and elbow, both of the serving right arm, and hyper-extension of the lower back.

She was part of the team but did not play due to an ankle injury when the tie was held in Delhi last year.

"I am going to stop for three to four weeks after this. In fact, the doctor told me not to play even this week. But then I did not play last year, so I want to play this time," the
Hyderabadi girl said.

"There are three injuries. Each one is worse than the other. The wrist (injury) is the most serious," she said.

"The back is a muscle spasm. It is not a long term problem, not an injury that needs an operation, but is very painful at the moment.

"It catches me occasionally, hopefully I can stay free of it the coming week."

Asked how far she would go to play in the event despite the risk, Sania said she would not play "only if the pain was
unbearable."

"Not feeling much pain (at the moment). We will see how I feel when I get there," she said.

The trio was put through an intense practice session on the centre court by captain and coach Enrico Piperno.

Shikha Uberoi, the other member of the team has been practising for a week.

Australia, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Philippines, Uzbekistan and hosts Korea are the other six teams in the fray.

The teams will be divided into two pools of three and four, with the top teams from either pool playing the final on Saturday. The winner qualify for a World Group 2 play-off in July.

Piperno said Sania's presence has boosted India's chances of winning the zonal competition.

"I wish last year was this year," Piperno said.

"I would have loved to play in India with this team, but you can't have it both ways.

"Without China, we have a great chance. With Sania in, we are better than the rest."

Piperno hoped India are placed in the smaller group, "so that Sania has less load to carry," but was confident about the Indian star's form.

"I haven't seen her hit the ball so well before. I am surprised she has not won a tournament in the US (on the WTA Tour)," he said.

Sania said, "doubles is decisive in team tennis, but hopefully it doesn't get that far. I hope we can finish off the games with the singles.

"If we go by rankings, we are the second seeds but it is going to be tough."

Sania, the first Indian to win a WTA Tour title pulled out of the event in Charleston, USA, for some much needed rest.

"I had four days of rest but everyone knows four days or two weeks is not going to help. For proper rest, you need three and a half or four weeks. I have pulled six weeks, one more to go," she said.

Asked how big a risk she was taking, "it is not that a bone is going to break. Hopefully that doesn't happen."

She also denied that her singles performance this season has not been satisfactory in comparison to her doubles show.

"Singles is not going into the quarters and semis but I have maintained my ranking, so it is not that bad," she said.

"Of course, doubles has seen a huge jump (upto 40th in world rankings) and that gives a lot of confidence. And that is why I am playing doubles.

"But I am still playing well in singles. It is a matter of getting a few wins together. I don't want to sit and be depressed about it. I am very optimistic."