Saketh Myneni’s grit and determination in energy-sapping conditions even as he was steadily supported by the captain and his teammates made memorable memorable viewing on the opening day of the India-Korea Davis Cup tie.
“There was never a question of giving up,” said Myneni, after winning hearts by literally limping through two sets and playing through the pain barrier.
Saying that he constitutionally had a tendency to sweat heavily, Myneni revealed that he may have taken in nearly 15 litres of fluids to stay on his feet in the second rubber.
“I am pretty happy to have won even though I wanted to finish it in three sets,” he said.
“I could not sit, and continued to stand and kept moving,” Myneni said, explaining how he fought through the muscle spasms.
He helpfully pointed out that spasms were slightly different from cramps; both require similar treatment, though.
Indian captain Anand Amritraj was evidently relieved.
“I don’t remember any such match.
“By the end of the fourth set, I thought of quitting, but Saketh came back in the fifth set so well,” said Amritraj.
“It was a trial by fire.”
Amritraj also praised Ramkumar Ramanathan, who won the opening rubber for India on his Davis Cup debut, and his fitness.
“Ramkumar can go on for ever!” Amritraj remarked. But he admitted that things got a bit “dodgy’ in the fourth set.
Ramkumar said that he was careful about not wasting energy, and paced himself appropriately against a talented and clever opponent.
Myneni praised Ramkumar for putting the team 1-0 up, in slow and more difficult conditions earlier in the day, and the latter returned the compliment.
“The team pushed Saketh to play his best despite the struggle,” said Ramkumar.
“I could not watch the fourth set. But, once Saketh got the break in the first game of the fifth set and held serve to go up quickly to 5-1 in about 10 minutes, I was very happy for him.”
“The captain and all the players were supporting me. That is the beauty of playing Davis Cup,” said the debutant.
