Monday blues after weekend high for India in Davis Cup

Except that Krajinovic, ranked outside of 150, but fast rising in repute, carried the nervous energy right onto court and found a release in putting down Bhambri’s attempts at spoiling his India sojourn.

That those attempts were tamer than what was needed for the hosts is a different matter. A 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 scoreline does complete justice to Bhambri’s game, which was bulldozed by the Krajinovic consistency. What it doesn’t amplify is the Serbian’s superior class in putting his country back on track in a competition that could’ve gone a year without the World No 1’s team featuring in it, had it not been for the young player’s vanguard efforts.

Bhambri had crashed as soon as he hit the sack because Monday had tired him. It was the pressure that had eaten up his energy for he hadn’t been on court that long. Then the rains nipped his fight-back, and Krajinovic returned on Monday very worried and restless which made him very desperate to wrap up the second set and in turn very dangerous.

“I was very focussed on 4-all, and wanted to break him immediately,” Krajinovic said, managing to do just that with sustained pressure on Bhambri’s serve and precise shots that make him a formidable opponent even if he lacks team-mate Lajovic’s specific brilliance.

Big-serving Serb

His consistency and control over shots and their placement had tested Somdev Devvarman and Serbian captain was glad it was his second singles player (in rankings) who’d have to play out the pressure decider. The taller Serbian could serve big at will, and that’s exactly what he did to pull himself out of trouble on the rare occasions he dug himself a ditch in early points of his serve.

The Serbians knew Yuki Bhambri would find it very tough to come back from a 2-0 deficit, though Krajinovic would still be fighting humidity and heat and a lukewarm Bhambri who inspired by the two fightbacks might well have turned up and simmered. “There was big pressure on me, but I’d prepared well,” he said later, having won his first-ever live rubber.

The Serbian got lucky too as Bhambri missed shots and lost the first four games of the day. The Indian’s inability to close out points continued with a dismal break-point percentage especially in the third.

Krajinovic was also floating to the net freely and his weakest shot the forehand went untested as Bhambri refused to ask pressing questions. The final set was a rout much like the first Bhambri played in this tie, when despite the Indian possessing the better strokes, he flubbed the crucial points repeatedly and Krajinovic jumped on the lapses to win within 50 minutes of entering the court.

Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic was disappointed that Indian supporters had left the stadium at the first hint of rains, leaving Bhambri exposed in front of a barely audible half-stadium. “Crowd just disappeared and that was sad they didn’t follow their player. That’s one thing Indians need to learn,” said the shocked coach, who has persisted with Krajinovic for two years as reserve in Serbia’s crack Davis Cup team only to groom him, and prepare him enough to be thrown into big battle. “Bhambri picked up the negative energy from that, and found it tough to rise up. He’s young and Indians should stay patient with him for a couple of years,” he urged.

The Serb had no specific pre-match instructions for his young player. “Nothing specifically about the game. If he trusts me, and I trust him, wins will eventually come,” he said. Bhambri couldn’t feed off any energy at all, and folded up India’s challenge with a whimper.