Sunitha Rao applies to reprsent India in Fed Cup

Kolkata, Sep 16 (UNI) While soccer bosses are yet to succeed in their effort to rope in players of Indian oprigin to revive the game in the country, one more tennis talent from the Indian diaspora, Sunitha Rao, is all set to represent the country in Fed Cup.

Florida-based Sunitha, who got the third wild card for the Sunfeast Open along with Ankita Bhambri and Sikha Oberoi, revealed today that she has applied to allow her represent the country of her origin.

''Yes, I have applied to play for India. And I am thrilled about the prospects. I would really love to wear the tri-color,'' she said, while speaking to the media on her arrival to the city.

''It will take a couple of months I guess. (Mahesh Bhupathi's) Globosports is handling the issue for me,'' she said.

Boca Raton-based Shikha Uberoi is also a member of the Indian Fed Cup team.

Asked about her prospect of representing India in the Fed Cup next year, Sunitha said,''I would love to. But I will try to improve my rankings, playing some matches over the next few months which I dare say will be very busy to push my rankings so that I can be seeded second after Sania.'' Sunitha, who is currently ranked 221, played in the last edition of the Sunfeast Open also. She turned pro in 2004 and since then have made her presence felt in the WTA circuit. But the major part of this year she spent plagued by injuries that saw her sidelined till June.

''I had a problem in my abdomen. It was diagnosed and now I think I am fighting fit. At one point of time I was looking at retirement, but now it's a different story,'' she said.

''My highest ranking was 167 and it has dropped over the last few months. But I am sure I will be able to do justice to it in the coming months,'' she added.

She also informed that she has improved on her serve and also her returns from the baseline and hopes it will help her good in the long run.

Thrilled to return to Sunfeast Open for the second time, Sunitha also hopes to do better this year.

Continuing with her regained faith on her form, Sunitha said, ''I have set some targets for me this year. One of them is to see me break into the top 150 in the singles and top 100 in the doubles by December.'' By 2007, Sunitha hopes to play for India and she wants to crack into the top 100 by the end of next year.

''Naturally I would like to see myself seeded as the second player for India, after Sania (Mirza)'' she added.

In a formal announcement, Globosport representative Anirban Das Blah said, ''From now, Sunitha will be looked after by us. While Mahesh Bhupathi will take care of her tennis career, Tejas Patel, a philanthropist, will take care of her travels and Globosport will take care of the other things.

''We have formally told the tennis federation of America that she will no longer look after represent the USA. We are also in regular touch with the AITA and hopefully the entire process will be completed by December,'' he added.

UNI BA AY PM1653