The Hindu : Sport : Easy going for Sweden

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005

Sport

Sport

Easy going for Sweden

Kamesh Srinivasan

SEASONED WARRIORS: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati gave India the lone win in the doubles in the Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.

NEW DELHI: The staunch supporters of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were treated to a world class fare, but Sweden was clinical in recording a 3-1 victory over the host in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie at the R. K. Khanna Stadium here on Monday.

Leander and Mahesh played as well as they have ever done in winning the doubles beating Jonas Bjorkman and Simon Aspelin 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

It was only the second rubber won by India against Sweden in 24 matches in five meetings. Vijay Amritraj had beaten Mats Wilander in winning the other rubber in 1985.

Resuming from 3-1 in the second set this morning, except for facing a breakpoint on Leander's serve in the fourth game of the third set, the Indian duo was on a cruise mode, exhibiting a high quality fare that overwhelmed the Swedes. Mahesh sealed the rubber with a backhand cross-court as the Indian pair converted the fifth matchpoint on Aspelin's serve.

Leander and Mahesh had broken Bjorkman's serve in the fourth game of the second set before play was called off on Sunday evening owing to bad light.

The duo broke Aspelin, as the latter doublefaulted on breakpoint in the first game of the third set and thus the initiative stayed with Leander and Mahesh.

It was the icing on the cake, as Leander and Mahesh broke Bjorkman and Aspelin one after the other to race away from 3-3 in the fourth set.

Prakash fails

There was nothing much to cheer for the Indian camp thereafter, as world No.14 Thomas Johansson played outstanding on an unpredictable surface in subduing a spirited challenge from Prakash Amritraj 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

"It is a big learning experience for the team. We put our best foot forward. Rohan stood out with his effort. Hope he can continue like this and break into the top-100,'' said Leander.

"We are always happy winning. Am more relieved to win here than perhaps in the quarterfinals as it is important for us to stay in the World Group and avoid a lot of tough teams in the regional competition,'' said the Swedish captain Mats Wilander.

Wilander wild

PTI reports: Terming the tie a ``bad propaganda'' for the sport, Wilander said, "back home (in Sweden) people would perhaps be wondering why are they playing on such bad courts.'' The Swede said this was the reason why certain basic standards needed to be adopted with regard to the playing surface and also called for heat rule to be adopted in Davis Cup competitions considering the health of the players.

``Bopanna didn't even run, just took one step. It could happen to two people and their career could be affected,'' Wilander, said.

``The ITF has to look into it. We probably need to have the heat rule as well. We have it in the Australian Open, why not in the Davis Cup?'' Wilander said.

``Prakash (Amritraj) could not cope (in the reverse singles) and would have been hospitalised,'' said Wilander referring to the medical time-out Amritraj needed during the second set.

``There needs to be guidelines for the safety of the players. Just can't risk somebody's health like that. To me it was not sport.''

Johansson, who was playing his first Cup tie on grass, slammed the quality of the courts.

``These are the worst courts I have ever played on,'' said the 2002 Australian Open champion.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport