Davis Cup: New blood rises for India

BENGALURU: For much of his opening singles match against Uzbekistan's Temur Ismailov, India's Ramkumar Ramanathan struggled to harness the killer instinct required to finish off his opponent.
But the world No. 267 prevailed 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 against a cramping Ismailov to give India a winning start in their Asia/Oceania Group I, second round clash at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association stadium.Later, under lights, debutant Prajnesh Gunneswaran powered past Sanjar Fayziev 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on the back of solid serves and an authoritative display to put India 2-0 ahead and totally in control of the tie.
The manner in which 22-year-old Ramkumar repeatedly allowed the Uzbek world No. 406 back into the contest would have worried non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi. Ramkumar whose 14 double faults almost negated his 16 aces finally got his act together in a match that lasted 3 hours and 14 minutes, with clever kick-serves and aggressive approaches at the net.
Ramkumar began well, stamping his authority early in the first set with a fiery inside-out forehand in the third game. The tactic of giving the ball plenty of air ensured he could surprise his rival with his aggressive forehand. Ramkumar won his first breakpoint in the third game when Ismailov produced a double fault and the Tamil Nadu lad kept things steady from there on to take the first set.
The second set went with serve up to 3-3 before Ramkumar broke his opponent.Leading 15-0 in the next game, he served three double faults in a row. Ismailov switched gears to go ahead 6-5 before Ramkumar's serve failed him again. With four double faults in the 12th game, he gifted the set to the Uzbek 22-year-old.
In the third game of the third set, around two hours into the match when the afternoon sun was making things tough, Ismailov struggled to move his feet. The Uzbek called for a medical time-out at 2-2 to treat his cramping thigh. Playing through pain, he could only watch as Ramkumar helped India take a 2-1lead in the match. "I was struggling to move," said Ismailov."The conditions played a small part and there were some nerves too so that didn't help me. There is still some pain but I should be alright for the reverse singles."
The fourth set followed a similar pattern as the second up to 5-5, with Ismailov desperately holding on by testing Ramkumar's weaker backhand and using up every available second between points to recover.