Banglore Buzz

Sold out? Not quite
First things first: the KSLTA Stadium was anything but packed on Friday. The organisers, who went to town claiming the match-up was sold out, were in for a rude shock. Several patrons were seen selling their tickets prior to the start of the day's proceedings. "No (Novak) Djokovic, no point watching," one of them said.

Paes takes the day off
His on-court prowess notwithstanding, Leander Paes is someone who can lift the spirits of the team from the sidelines. But on Friday, the Indian team had to make do without him. Paes, who was present at the draw ceremony on Thursday, rushed to Mumbai for a court hearing. He and estranged partner, Rhea Pillai, are fighting for the custody of their young daughter. Paes was expected to join the team for Friday's second singles rubber. He will, of course, team up with Rohan Bopanna on Saturday.

Why's Hesh not here?
Where's Bangalore boy Mahesh Bhupathi? Rumour has it that the multiple Grand Slam champion did not receive an invite from the All India Tennis Association. No surprises there. A vocal critic of the men who run the sport in the country, Bhupathi has had several run-ins with the officials. His biggest grudge, though, is that the AITA bosses always bat for Leander Paes.