India146;s dual core performance

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi relied on their experience to keep India afloat in the Davis Cup World Group play-off against Romania...

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi relied on their experience to keep India afloat in the Davis Cup World Group play-off against Romania as the duo quelled the challenge of Horia Tecau and Adrian Cruciat 6-4, 7-6 0, 6-4 in the doubles rubber here on Saturday.

The ace Indian pair had to toil hard to defeat the Romanians, who tested their opponents with an all round game but could not stop the visitors from reducing the margin to 1-2 in the five-match tie in close to three hours. The reverse singles will be played on Sunday and Prakash Amritraj and Somdev Devvarman have a daunting task ahead as they seek to steer India to the World Group stage for the first time since 1998.

The Indians saved a break point in the very first game of the match and squandered two on their opponents8217; serve in the fourth game, letting the scoreline to be 2-2. The Romanians broke in the fifth game, only to be broken back in the very next. Down 30-40, Tecau came up with a brilliant serve and Bhupathi8217;s return could not cross the net as the Romanians saved the first break point. A double fault gave the Indian pair another chance but Cruciat warded off the threat, exploiting the gap between Paes and Bhupathi.

The Indians raised their game and fought back brilliantly in the next game to neutralise the lead. One set up, the Indians were broken in the first game of the second set though they saved four breakpoints as the hosts wrested an early initiative. The Indians got their first chance in the fourth game but the hosts8217; played well to negotiate the Indian attack.

However, India continued to attack and earned three break points but Tecau once again served brilliantly to save all three. The Indians missed one more break point but converted their fifth chance when Cruciat hit Paes8217; overhead volley to net, making it 3-3. The Indian pair had a chance to wrap up the second set as they had triple set points in the 12th game but the Romanians managed to stretch it to the tie-breaker.

Once the Indians had got the break in the fifth game of the third set, the Romanians dropped the intensity and the Indians easily won the set. They saved two break points in the eighth game, denying Romania any chance to come back but wasted two match points in the ninth game. Bhupathi then served for the match in the 10th game.