Indians find the Paes too Harsh Down Under

In the end, on the first day of the Davis Cup tie, the Australian was too collected, and he held off Paes 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, ending the match emphatically with four successive aces. Earlier Harsh Mankad briefly surprised Lleyton Hewitt before succumbing 1-6, 6-7, 1-6.

Paes, who has played five singles match all year (four in Davis Cup), began the match like an explorer, searching for a game that he once owned. In the first set, he said, he could not find it, but then suddenly, discovery.

In the second set, his timing was cleaner and a familiar pattern emerged. Arthur’s sliding, curving serve (he had 30 aces) was no longer a passing blur of yellow, and standing audaciously within the baseline Paes jabbed returns, altering pace, then angle, forcing the Australian to stretch and bend his towering frame.

His forehand buzzing angrily, Paes finally broke in the sixth game and as he wrapped up the second set 6-3, for a brief, shining moment we were transported back to an era when Paes was young and Davis Cup miracles were commonplace.

But time travel has yet to be invented and Paes is not 21 but 29, not No.73 but No.980, and when he looked up his sleeve there were no tricks left. Lack of match play has dulled his edge and stolen consistency from him, and desire itself was not enough to beat a world No.53 playing at home.

Paes served two double faults in the eighth game to be broken to 3-5, lost the third set and was broken in the first game of fourth. Defiantly he broke back to 1-1, but as the heat began to menace the courts, his charge was done.

Paes is a prisoner of circumstance, for, as he says, making a living playing doubles leaves negligible time for singles. But still, whether injured or unpracticed, when India calls, he is first in line. His skills may have waned, but his commitment is unwavering.

Mankad, whose unhurried style is reminiscent of an era of wooden rackets and long trousers, was given a brutal reminder of the heavy spin and athleticism of the modern game when Hewitt broke him at the start. But an impertinent Mankad broke back, whereupon Hewitt reeled off the next five games as if remind the Indian that he, by the way, was the best in the world in this business. Mankad, who requires about 30 kilometres more on his serve and equally that much poundage in muscle, played a fine second set. He shrugged of his nervousness, mixed his game by coming to the net and perhaps disrupted Hewitt’s rhythm by his gentle pace.

But Hewitt makes a living embarrassing Sampras and Agassi, for him Mankad is a light lunch, and he imperceptibly lifted his game, won the tie-break and effortlessly put away the Indian. Later, he conceded that Mankad, “is a lot better than No.831”. Before the tie, the Indians said they would give it their best shot. They may have lost both matches but they were as good as their word.