New Delhi: The absence of a top ranked singles players was affecting India's progress in Davis Cup tennis competition, team captain Ramesh Krishnan said on Wednesday.

"Whenever we reach the play-off stage we don't get seeded (because of lack of players with high singles ranking). Unfortunately, the doubles rankings are not taken into account, so it always going to go against us," Krishnan said on the sidelines of India' preparative camp for the Asia-Oceania Group ‘I’ first round tie against Japan starting on Friday.

India has retained its Group ‘I’ slot for the past three years but has failed to get back into the World Group. It has lost to Sweden, the US and Australia at the play- off stage in the past three years.

Mahesh Bhupathi, who had been busy with the WTA Indian Open at Hyderabad as its promoter, joined the team on Wednesday. "It's nice to be back with the team. The players have been working hard, and we are all expecting an exciting match against the Japanese," he said.

Leander Paes had been more than successful in making the junior members of the team - Harsh Mankad, Rohan Bopanna and Sunil Kumar Sipaeya - feel comfortable on the Davis Cup stage.

Paes' experience and passion has been infectious and has also galvanised them into a single unit. The five-time Grand Slam doubles champion is a reborn man after winning the mixed doubles crown with Martina Navratilova at the Australian Open last month and the mere mention of the name of the legendary tennis player seems to strike a chord in him.

"You know, I began playing at the age of 12," Paes said. "And ever since I have been playing singles and doubles and also had to play for the country. And after all that happened last year, I was feeling exhausted.

"But when I saw Martina, her passion for the game at the age of 46... the way she ran and covered the court, whether the ball was right or five feet out... then I realise, 'Oh, I have another at least 16 years of tennis left in me'," he said with eyes gleaming.

The Japanese, who arrived in the city on Sunday, have been quietly going through their preparations. The Indian winter has been 'warm and good' to the players who were coming from home where mercury had remained steady at five degrees.

Takao Suzuki (133) and Goichi Motomura (226) are two players ranked well above any of the Indians. The latter in particular had had a successful season in 2002, winning the Asian Tennis Championship (ATC), where he beat Rohan Bopanna in the final, and putting it past Paradorn Srichaphan in a Davis Cup semi-final tie against Thailand.

But both Motomura and Suzuki were aware that playing Indians on grass at home was a totally different ball game. "Rankings do not matter in Davis Cup. The players are going to give all they have in the two or three days of the competition, so it all depends on who plays well that day," Suzuki said.

The past record also favours India which has won 16 of the 18 encounters. India won the previous encounter in Japan in 2001 3-2, Paes clinching victory with his thrilling five-set win over Takao Suzuki in the first of reverse singles matches.

The draw will be made at the Prime Minister's residence on Thursday which will be followed by teams' press conference at All India Tennis Association (AITA).

PTI