NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22: Doubles Specialist Mahesh Bhupathi won his first singles match of the season and led India to a 2-1 victory over China in their last league match, but the hosts’ chances of making it to the final of the ATF Asia Cup tennis tournament hinge on Saturday’s Thailand-Korea rubber.Bhupathi used his powerful double-fisted returns to unsettle his Chinese opponent Yu Wang and comfortably notched up a 6-3, 6-4 win in an hour and 20 minutes.Coming here after the ATP World Doubles Championship in Bangalore, Bhupathi asserted his command over the game in the company of Syed Fazaluddin and made the Chinese duo of Yu Wang and Yu Zhang look an ordinary pair. Bhupathi/ Fazaluddin won 6-3, 6-3 in the deciding doubles to lead India to a 2-1 win after their number one player Harsh Mankad had lost the second singles to Zhang 3-6, 2-6. This straight set loss in the singles to China could cost India a place in the final as the hosts finished their league encounters with 2-1 win-loss record and have won four matches. Korea, with a 2-0 record and a tie against Thailand to go, have won six matches and are assured of a place in the final, while Thailand 1-1 and three wins can unsettle India’s dreams of making the final. In tomorrow’s tie, if Thailand takes even two matches off Korea, India can as well forget their dream of reclaiming the title they won twice. In a rehearsal of Saturday’s Asia Cup women’s final, China blanked Thailand 3-0. Results Men round robin: India bt China 2-1 Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind) bt Yu Wang (Chn) 6-3, 6-4; Yu Zhang(Chn) bt Harsh Mankad (Ind) 6-3, 6-2; Mahesh Bhupathi/ Syed Fazaluddin (Ind) bt Yu Wang/ Yu Zhang (Chn) 6-3, 6-3. Women(round robin): China bt Thailand 3-0 Li Ting (Chn) bt Tongsalee Napaporn (Tha) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Li Na (Chn) bt Suchanan Viratprasert (Tha) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Li Na/ Tian-Tian Sun (Chn) bt Orawan Lamangthong/ Tongsalee Napaporn (Tha) 6-1, 6-1.
