Advantage Brazil in Davis Cup World Group

It was a double heartache for India in the Davis Cup World Group play-off against Brazil as the home team went 0-2 down at the end of the first day.

In matches extending over four hours, Rohan Bopanna lost 7-6(2) 6-7(7) 5-7 6-4 8-10 to Thomaz Bellucci and Somdev Devvarman lost 6-4 2-6 7-6(3) 2-6 4-6 to Ricardo Mello.

“When it goes to the fifth set, it is 50:50 and we could well have been 2-0 up. The match is still alive as we have our best pair playing tomorrow. I then have to play well against Bellucci (reverse singles) to keep India’s hopes alive,” a highly disappointed Somdev said.

“I had one of the great starts and game point in almost every game I lost. It was not a very great serving day for me. In the end he played better and it hurts,” he stated.

“It was an unbelievable come back by Ricardo. He played very cleverly and aggressively towards the end. Both the matches could have gone either way and we could have lost both,” Brazil coach Joao Zwetsch said.

“I thought Somdev’s second serve was his weakness and decided to attack it. At 3-4 down in the fifth set, I decided to stay focused and that paid dividends,” Mello remarked. Both players took advantage of the slightest of errors from each other to score winners. Mello began shakily by dropping his very first serve of the first set. Somdev held on to the advantage to take the set 6-4. Mello took advantage of an inconsistent Somdev, to win the second set 6-2.

The Indian bounced back in the third set playing the crucial points well to take the tie-break and won it 7-6. Somdev, unfortunately, could not sustain the same form in the fourth.

Both fought tooth and nail in the fifth, and with the match extending beyond four hours, Mello showed better staying power and stamina as he broke Somdev in the ninth game. He then held serve at love to win the match in 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Rohan Bopanna played his heart out, but just did not have the little bit of extra edge to give India the lead by winning the first rubber.

“At 5-3 and serving for the match in the 5th set, I let slip a great opportunity due to lack of singles match practice,” Rohan said.
The four and half hour match as Leander had predicted went in favour of the player who was more fit on court.