Paes, Fazaluddin made to toil

Hamadeh’s problem was an errant first serve and a tendency to muff his volleys. On quite a few occasions, especially in the third set, he missed sitters.

After losing the second set at 5-7 — the solitary break coming in the 11th game, he managed to hold on in the third. Broken in the first game, he broke back for 4-4 and even held two set points in the 10th game before Paes asserted himself. Hamadeh showed tremendous character and if he was playing a lesser player than Paes, the story may well have had a different ending.

Fazal scores: Fazaluddin’s winover Lebanese No 1 Hicham Zaatini — ranked about 150 places below the Indian — came as sheer relief. At one stage in the third set, when Zaatini — he has never played on grass in his life before this week — produced some superb serve and volleying to come back from 2-5 down and level, things looked very sticky for Fazal.

The Indian won the set, but the third brought on a sense of deja vu, as he again lost concentration after being 5-2 up. Zaatini won the next four games and was serving for the set when Fazal broke back and took the tie-break.

It was interesting to later learn that it was not known whether Zaatini would play the tie or not till the draw. He was recovering from a shoulder injury and served for the first time on Thursday in weeks.

Fazaluddin should draw courage and confidence from this win and look forward to the doubles encounter on Saturday.

WHAT THEY SAID

Leander Paes: The first thing (Indian non-playing captain) Ramesh Krishnan brings to the game is professionalism. Heleaves no stone unturned, goes into every little detail. For instance, when everyone in the media had said that this tie would be a cakewalk, he made it very clear that we would have to give it our all and not take things easy. The experience he brings, the way he narrates little things to help us, his involvement — it’s almost like we’re playing two on one. He gives us a huge upperhand.

Syed Fazaluddin: I was trying too much and it wasn’t working. Ramesh (Krishnan, Indian team non-playing captainh) really helped me at the changeover. He told me to relax and think it was just another game. It worked. And that is what I did in the tie-break.

Ramesh Krishnan: Being out there on court is much, much tougher. Sitting on a chair is the easy part.

Raymond Kattoura (Lebanon captain): It was not a cakewalk for the Indian team. Leander had a tough match and we could have won the second singles. My plan was to be 1-1 on the first day and keep the pressure on, on Day Two. We still have achance to win the doubles.