Even though Rafa Nadal was finally on court, it was the evergreen Leander Paes who held court for the first two hours of the doubles where India with Paes and Saketh Myneni raised visions of a stunning upset win
Rafa NadalRafa Nadal
Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns to India’s Leander Paes and Saketh Myeni during the Davis Cup World Group Play off doubles match in New Delhi on Saturday. Pic/PTI
New Delhi: Even though Rafa Nadal was finally on court at the RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, it was the evergreen Leander Paes who held court for the first two hours of the doubles where India with Paes and Saketh Myneni raised visions of a stunning upset win against the newly-minted Olympic gold medallists, Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez.
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Cold figures show a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4 win giving Spain an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Davis Cup Play off tie against India, here on Saturday.
Leander Paes (left) and Saketh Myeni during India’s doubles match against Spain in the Davis Cup World Group Play off tie on Saturday
But what the result hid was a brilliant fighting performance by a magician now in his 26th year in Davis Cup and 43rd in life, with a rookie, Myneni in tow. Yes, Nadal and Lopez, too, turned in a performance worthy of Olympic champions, but then with their pedigree they were always expected to win.
Even before he could catch his breath after the well-fought win, Nadal admitted, “It was a very tough match. Leander is a great player.”
Graceful Paes
And the ever-graceful Paes paid back the compliment saying, “These guys fought tooth-and-nail. Marc and Rafa are great champions of the sport.”
The stomach bug that never was and the errant wrist, which was well covered today never came into the picture for Nadal, who time and again showed the kind of determination that has made him one of the finest players of our time. Meanwhile, the 43-year-old Paes was gunning for a record 43rd win in Davis Cup doubles. It is at the DLTA, where he has felled many a giant in his youth and heydays in singles and doubles. Most of those wins are now part of Indian tennis folklore. But on this sultry and humid day with retirement and glory beckoning him, and record lurking around the corner, Paes was unable to conjure up and complete another magical script for Indian tennis history.
Paes, who will doubtless sooner than later sit in the captain’s chair at Davis Cup, mentored, encouraged and cajoled the youngster into raising his game and how Myneni, who proposed to his girlfriend on the eve of the tie, responded.
Spain thrive on experience
In the end, it was the youngsters’ inexperience that the experienced Spaniards pounced on – like getting the crucial break in the 10th game of the second set and again in the seventh game of the fourth game, both times when Indians were a break up. But Myneni can return with the satisfaction of starting out on Friday as a boy and finishing Saturday as man.
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