Tursunov, Donskoy to start for Russia in Davis Cup

Moscow - World No.71 Dmitry Tursunov and 78th-ranked Evgeny Donskoy will compete on the first day of Davis Cup second-tier clash against Britain, Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev said Saturday.

Tursunov, 30, will lead the Russian tennis team in the first stage of its campaign to return to the elite World Group. Besides Davis Cup debutant Donskoy and youngster Viktor Baluda, Russia will be also represented by the experienced Igor Kunitsyn, ranked 159th in the world.

“I think that Tursunov and Donskoy will play in the first day,” Tarpishchev said.

In the absence of their only star Andy Murray, the Brits will put in 208th-ranked James Ward, World No.209 Jamie Baker and doubles specialists Colin Fleming and Jonathan Marray.

Britain and Russia have never played in the Davis Cup although the Britons beat the Soviet Union 4-1 in 1963.

The match will take place in Coventry from April 5-7.