A drop on the court brings relief in India’s Great Athens Drought

Paes and Bhupathi won 7-6, 6-3. They began slowly, gradually targeting Fish as the weak link in the American team and attacking his service. It was a Fish double fault that gave the Indians the first set. In the second, the Lee-Hesh ‘‘Indian Express’’ upped their game at just the right time, leaving Fish flustered and Roddick very, very angry.

Obviously not used to losing, Roddick had his little temper tantrums. Smashing a backhand return straight into the net, he screamed out loud, ‘‘Andy, stop doing that.’’ There was a minor argument with the umpire over a line call.

Finally at 2-5 and with the match all but gone, Roddick decided he had to make his statement. He served out a blistering game that, on this blustery day, left even Indian fans gasping. ‘‘He was serving so fast’’, Paes later said, ‘‘it was coming right through the wind.’’

The Indian contingent had no time for such footnotes. Bhuphati pumping his fist, Paes punching the air, ‘‘the boys’’ smashing their chests into each other to celebrate that every point, strategizing in Hindi so as not to be understood by the Yanks: this was all that India wanted. After a weekend of sorrow, it was finally a moment to celebrate.

The stands were so packed for what should have been, really, just another first-round match that even Sports Minister Sunil Dutt couldn’t find a seat. He turned up late, camera slung around his neck, and uncomplainingly watched them standing. Tycoon-socialite-MP Naveen Jindal and his wife Shalu turned up too, looking suitably trendy.

Also spotted were shooter Shuma Shirur and her husband Siddharth — a quiet, understated architect who seems to turn up at every India match, whatever the sport, waving the tricolour. Then there were the families, the stoic Vece Paes and the impish C G K Bhupathi, who had landed only the previous evening. ‘‘I’’m still jetlagged — but the boys are taking it out for me.’’

Yet, in a sense the animated Paes and Bhupathi show was only incidental. The morning was what Indian spectators had been waiting for, a sign from the Gods in Olympus that India’s medal chances were not all over. It was all too much for one enthusiastic Sikh gentleman. At one point, with Paes serving, he hollered out a coaching lesson, ‘‘Usi ko khilao, udhar hi karege.’’

Nobody quite knew what he meant, even fewer minded.

After the match, as Tracy Austin and John Lloyd passed by mumbling ‘‘hello’’, Bhupathi and Paes spoke of being ‘‘hungrier’’ this time than at Sydney 2000. Four years ago, there were injury problems, not enough match practice coming into the Olympics. This time it’s all gone swimmingly. A doubles team that has won everything wants the medal — not any medal, just gold.

Tomorrow, the Indians play Roger Federer and Yves Allegro, a Swiss team fortified, like the American one today, by an uber singles player. If that match is wrapped up, the semi-final should, as per the draw, be easier.

Along with shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore — whose double trap event is on Tuesday — tennis represents India’s last realistic hope of a medal.

Can Lee-Hesh do it?

The enthusiastic Sikh we met earlier in the story was in no doubt at all. As the match ended, he jumped up and sounded a loud, really loud cry from the heart: ‘‘Chak de phatte!’’