There was no dearth of entertainment as the Champions Tennis League kicked off to a bright start with Delhi Dreams beating Punjab Marshalls 25-19 at the R.K. Khanna Stadium here on Monday.
The spectators who packed more than half the capacity made for a vibrant atmosphere, but when the contest reached the climax with the towering Kevind Anderson taking on Somdev Devvarman, as Delhi led 19-18, a lot of spectators left the arena, possibly to watch the next match being played in Hyderabad, on television.
Even though co-owner Ajay Devgn asked the spectators to support Delhi, when he was interviewed midway through the tie, the high quality of tennis played by the former women’s world number 1 Jelena Jankovic and the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza made the fans forget their allegiance, and cheer both.
Solid play by FerreroWhat clinched it in favour of Delhi was the solid start by the former world number 1 and French Open champion, Juan Carlos Ferrero as he outplayed a jet-lagged Greg Rusedski in the first rubber, and the 6’ 8” tall Kevin Anderson providing a strong finish. Delhi won all its three singles matches, while Punjab bonded well with Davis Cup hero Leander Paes winning the mixed doubles with Muguruza and the doubles with Somdev.
With his electrifying game and deft touch, Paes won a lot of applause. But, he was the first to make a ‘bow’ to his partners when they came up with delectable strokes. Without doubt, it was Paes who brought the crowd alive, after the fans had stayed silent initially.
It was ‘service with a smile’ as the contest opened up, but slowly the intensity of competition gripped the arena. It was the doubles matches that provided the best entertainment, as at least two singles matches became monotonously one-sided.
Even though the short-built Sanam played his heart out in the doubles with the Anderson, the latter did not look to be in the match, and even forgot that he was serving after two points in the fifth game. Perhaps, Anderson was preserving himself for the climax, as he did not allow Somdev to win a game after the first in the decisive fifth rubber.
It was an anti-climax, but nobody was complaining.
The results:
Delhi Dreams bt Punjab Marshalls 25-19 (Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Greg Rusedski 6-1; Jelena jankovic & Kevin Anderson lost to Garbine Muguruza & Leander Paes 3-6; Jelena Jankovic bt Garbine Muguruza 6-5(3); Kevin Anderson & Sanam Singh lost to Leander Paes & Somdev Devvarman 4-6; Kevin Anderson bt Somdev Devvarman 6-1).
