Dream start for Mahesh-Leander

By Kalyan Ashok

BANGALORE, DEC. 13. Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes had a dream start in the Gold Flake World doubles championship with a stunning 7-5, 6-4 victory over the second-seeded, Paul Haarhuis and Sandon Stolle, before a vociferous home crowd at the KSLTA Stadium here today.

The Gold Group match, the third of the day, was the encounter the fans had been waiting for and the daring duo, which had not played much together in the season, made the wait worthwhile. Mahesh and Leander combined brilliantly to win emphatically over their fancied rivals.

If Leander sizzled with his serves and volleys, Mahesh was simply superb with his returns as the Indians `high-fived' after winning each point, sending the crowd into raptures. ``One on board and two to go,'' said an elated Leander after the victory while Mahesh remarked that he was happy with the way he played overall though he dropped serve in the second game of the second set.

Mahesh also admitted that their rivals were under pressure, especially with Sandon Stolle flying here without any respite after his Davis Cup engagements in Spain.

Stolle, on the eve of the match, said that he expected Paul Haarhuis to carry him through the first tie before he settles down. But the Indians never gave Haarhuis or him much of a chance with their positive play. They pounced on every loose return and had Stolle and Haarhuis misjudging their returns. Their net play was classy and one felt that the old magic was back again.

After going with serves, the Indians broke Haarhuis in the 11th game of the first set and Leander, serving for the set, made no mistake and sealed it with a memorable volley winner.

In the second set, the Indians survived some hiccups as Mahesh dropped his serve in the second game, but the pair hung in and went on to break Haarhuis in the third game after four nerve- wracking deuces. The Indian duo took the next two games to jump to a 3-2 lead, breaking Stolle in the fourth. That second break gave Mahesh and Leander a decisive edge and Mahesh served out the set and match despite being pushed to three deuces.

Earlier, the US-South African combination of Don Johnson and Piet Norval produced a superlative team effort to stun third seeded pair - Alex O'Brien and Jared Palmer of US 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) in a thrilling Gold group tie which lasted 94 minutes.

As the tie stretched on Johnson and Norval got stronger and better with greater anticipation and court coverage.

In the tight first set Palmer, who survived two break points in the very first game, ultimately dropped his serve in the 12th game and the set as well.

In the second the teams battled it out grimly with O'Brien providing the much needed sting as the American pair forged ahead, breaking Johnson in the ninth game after he led 30- love, to make it 5-4.

But O'Brien who simply had to shut the set with his serve fumbled and dropped his serve which levelled the scores at 5-5. With the set spilling into the tie-breaker, the Americans charged to a 5-3 lead with O'Brien unleashing two volley winners. But a sweetly timed lob from Johnson tied the tie-breaker at 5-5 again. Then came two scorching returns from Norval which turned the tied in their favour as the duo went onto seal the set and match at 7-6 (9-7).

Earlier in the opening match the Australian pair of Josh Eagle and Andrew Florent overcame some indecisive moments in the decider to prevail 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 over the South American pair of Jaime Oncins and Daniel Orsanic.

As a championship opener the tie was disappointing and at times drab. Eagle and Florent were decidedly better while the South Americans often had a lot of mix-ups.Oncins and Orsanic after a drubbing in the first set stormed back in the second. Oncins provided the breakthrough with a couple of superb volleys to break Eagle in the fourth game which finally set up the set at 6- 3.

Down 0-3 after Orsanic dropped his serve in the decider, the South Americans were on the mat.

This again saw Florent dropping his serve in the fifth but Oransic returned the favour in the very next game. Eagle though held on to give the Aussies a 5-2 lead. Florent again dropped his serve in the ninth game which cut the defecit to 5-4. But Oransic who proved to be the weaker link in the South American pair double faulted twice in the 10th which saw them drop the serve and match at 4-6.

The results:

Red Group: Josh Eagle-Andrew Florent (Aus) bt Jaime Oncins (Brz)- Daniel Orsanic (Arg) 6-1, 3- 6, 6-4.

Gold Group: Mahesh Bhupathi-Leander Paes (Ind) bt Paul Haarhuis- Sandon Stolle (Aus) 7-5, 6-4; Don Johnson- Pet Norval (SA) bt Alex O'Brien & Jared Palmer (U.S.) 7-5, 7-6 (9-7).

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Nandrajog bests Rathore
Next     : Easy for seeds