Davis Cup - New era of Indian tennis

Hello Tennis fans,

India will play Russia in their first round in the Davis Cup World Group from March 5-7.

This is not the big news.

The big news is that India entered the 16 team world group for the first time in eleven years.

India beat South Africa 4-1 in the play-off and for the first time in many many years India won a Davis cup tie on the basis of victories in the singles.

Som Devvarman, the new rising star of Indian Tennis played his heart and guts out to win both his singles. The results in details show that India won the first two singles very easily but then they had to forfeit their doubles match due to the injury to Mahesh Bhupathi and then we had the magic of Somdev Devvarman unfold in full glory.

R1 - S.DEVVARMAN (IND) def. I.VAN DER MERWE (RSA)7-6(5) 6-3 6-4
R2 - R.BOPANNA (IND) def. R.DE VOEST (RSA)2-6 6-4 6-2 6-4
R3 - J.COETZEE / W.MOODIE (RSA) def. M.BHUPATHI / R.BOPANNA (IND)6-3 3-6 4-0 - Retired
R4 - S.DEVVARMAN (IND) def. R.DE VOEST (RSA)3-6 6-7(3) 7-6(5) 6-2 6-4
R5 - Y.BHAMBRI (IND) def. I.VAN DER MERWE (RSA)3-6 6-3 6-4

It is said that after being two sets and a break down in the reverse rubber Som went to the bench and said that he would not loose.

The fact that he did not loose speaks volumes about his confidence on his ability.

This is not the championship but it is an achievement that Indians can be proud of. The fact that Yuvi Bhambri won his debut match also augurs well for Indian Tennis.

Russia will be a tough nut to crack. The two countries have met thrice, in 1974, 1982, 1986, and India are 2-1 up head-to-head.

But things have changed and Russia, is a superpower who have advanced to the quarterfinals for the 10th time in 11 years in 2009 before losing to Israel in Tel Aviv in July. They have won the Cup twice (2002, 2006) and have an awesome record of winning 16 times at home since 1996.

Russia will be without Marat Safin but that should hardly affect the team’s chances as they have four players in the top 50 of the ATP rankings, Nikolay Davydenko being the highest at eight. Dmitry Tursunov (38), and Igor Andreev(43) and young Igor Kunitsyn (45) have all shown enormous promise in recent years.

"Russia is an extremely tough team to play in the first round. The task is daunting,” Somdev said.

“But having said that, I feel in Davis Cup everyone has a chance and we will have to prepare really well to take on one of the top Davis Cup nations. ‘We will have to play our best tennis if we have to beat the likes of Davydenko, Youzhny, Andreev in their own back yard.”

So best of luck to the Indian Tennis team.

Manoj