Welcome to the live updates of Day 1 of the Davis Cup World Group playoff match between India and Spain in New Delhi on Friday.
At the last moment, Spain's Rafael Nadal pulled out of the opening singles match due to stomach upset. > Read more
Feliciano Lopez replaces Rafael Nadal and will be up against Ramkumar Ramanathan.
Live updates:
9.15: Ferrer wins second set.
9.00 pm: Myneni holds serve; Ferrer leads 5-2 in the second set.
8.55 pm: Myneni breaks Ferrer serve and Ferrer leads 5-1 in the second set
What is happening at the RK Khanna tennis stadium in the second match is a just a massacre of sorts.
8.49 pm: Myneni broken once again and Ferrer will be serving for the second set; leads 5-0. The sparse Spanish crowd is jubiliant by the display of David Ferrer.
8.46 pm: Ferrer takes 4-0 lead in the second set. What a game from the Spaniard. The crowd is stunned on seeing the onslaught of David Ferrer.
8.42 pm: Ferrer once again breaks Myneni serve and races to a 3-0 lead in the second set.
Saketh Myneni is out of sorts today and could not match the brilliant tennis from David Ferrer.
8.39 pm: Ferrer once again races to a 2-0 lead in the second set.
I think David Ferrer is in a hurry by hitting flurry of winners as against Saketh Myneni. Myneni has to lift the game to at least match this Spaniard.
8.36 pm: Ferrer breaks Myneni once again and takes 1-0 lead in the second set.
8.30 pm: David Ferrer easily wins first set
8.26 pm : Ferrer leads 5-1 and will be serving for the first set.
8.23 pm: Ferrer races to a 4-1 lead over Myneni in the first set
8.21 pm: Ferrer breaks Myneni serve and leads the first set 3-1.
8.13 pm: Saketh Myneni holds serve and it's 1-1 in the first set.
8.11 pm: David Ferrer holds serve and wins the first game.
It will be Saketh Myneni against David Ferrer. Can India's Myneni pull things back for India and level the tie?
A gritty Ramkumar Ramanathan showed stomach for fight despite his limitations against a much-superior rival even as Feliciano Lopez, playing in place of Rafael Nadal, handed Spain a 1-0 lead by winning the opening singles tie of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against India.
7.36 pm: Feliciano Lopez wins fourth set 6-1 and the match. Spain leads the Davis Cup 1-0 with the second match will start in another 10-15 minutes.
7.34 pm: Lopez breaks Ramanathan serve and will be serving out for the match
7.26 pm: Lopez holds serve and leads fourth set 4-1.
7.24 pm: At last Ramkumar Ramanathan holds serve in the fourth set
Atmosphere electric >#monthemurray>#DavisCup>#IBelieveThatWeWillWin>@DavisCup>pic.twitter.com/aPdn8lyhLU
— Giffnock Coach (@GiffnockCoach) >September 16, 2016
Is Ramkumar Ramanathan buckling under pressure of playing big matches against big players?
7.20 pm: Lopez races to a 3-0 lead in the fourth set
7.16 pm: Lopez breaks Ramanathan's serve and leads the fourth set 2-0.
7.14 pm: Lopez holds serve in the first game of the fourth set.
Excellent display of tennis from the youngster as he raised his game by several notches against a high-ranked player like Feliciano Lopez. The home crowd gave the youngster a standing ovation.
7.07 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan wins third set 6-3
7.03 pm: Ramanathan breaks Lopez's serve and wins the eighth game and it's 5-3 for India. Ramkumar Ramnathan will be serving for the set.
6.57 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan exults after winning the seventh game in the third set and it's 4-3 in favour of him.
6.53 pm: Lopez holds serve and it's 3-3 in the third set.
Ramkumar Ramanathan is being given treatment on the sidelines.
6.47 pm: Ramkumar holds serve in the fifth game of the third set and leads 3-2.
>@David__Goffin very much in control: 6-2, 6-2 against a trying Thiago Monteiro. Looks like Belgium will be in front pretty soon. >#BELBRA
— BelgianDavisCupTeam (@BelgianDavisCup) >September 16, 2016
6.44 pm: Lopez holds serve and it is 2-2 in the third set.
I think Ramkumar Ramanathan is rising his game in the third set. Though it will be a tough task for Ramanathan, he can display his tennis skills against a world-class player Feliciano Lopez.
>#GBRARG>#DelPotro takes a close opening set 64! Will he go on to give Argentina the lead or will >#Murray battle back for the Brits?
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) >September 16, 2016
6.40 pm: Ramkumar holds serve and it is 2-1 in favour of India.
Excellent display of tennis from Ramkumar, he yells after taking a crucial point in the third game of the third set.
6.36 pm: Lopez holds serve to win the second game of the third set. It's 1-1 in the third set.
6.34 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan wins first game of the third set
Can Ramkumar Ramanathan pull things back for India?
6.25 pm: Feliciano Lopez wins second set 6-4
6.23 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan holds serve, Lopez leads 5-4 and will be serving for the second set.
I wish all tennis matches could be like >@DavisCup
— Doug Collins (@dc_loves_tennis) >September 16, 2016
6.20 pm : Feliciano Lopez easily takes the eighth game of the second set and leads 5-3.
6.17 pm: Ramnathan sweats to take the seventh game of the second set but Lopez leads 4-3.
Ramkumar Ramanathan, backed by vociferous crowd, is giving tough fight to Spain's Feliciano Lopez in Davis Cup tie in Delhi >@Outlookindia
— Qaiser Mohammad Ali (@AlwaysCricket) >September 16, 2016
Excellent first two serves from Ramkumar Ramanathan in the seventh game.
6.12 pm: Lopez wins sixth game in the second set and leads 4-2.
The fans at the RK Khanna tennis court are a disappointed lot as they could not see Rafael Nadal play on the opening day.
6.08 pm: Ramnathan holds serve. Lopez leads 3-2 in the second set.
Excellent shot from the youngster cramping Lopez for space and wins a point in the fifth game.
Wow!! what a shot from Feliciano Lopez which shows his superior ranking above Ramkumar Ramanathan.
6.05 pm: Lopez wins fourth game of the second set and leads 3-1.
Excellent volley from Ramkumar Ramanathan which virtually stunned Lopez.
6.01 pm: Ramanathan holds serve and Lopez leads 2-1
5.59 pm: Lopez holds serve and leads second set 2-0.
5.57 pm: Feliciano Lopez breaks Ramanathan serve in the first game itself in the second set and leads 1-0 and gains upper hand in the match.
The second set begins.
Can Ramkumar Ramanathan fights back to keep Indian fans happy?
5.51 pm: Feliciano Lopez wins first set 6-4. Though he was stretched by Ramkumar Ramanathan early, Feliciano Lopez who replaced Rafael Nadal won the first set easily.
5.47 pm: Lopez is serving for the first set
5.46 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan holds serve and it is 5-4 in favour of Lopez
Can Ramkumar Ramanathan hold his serve and stretch Feliciano Lopez?
5.44 pm: Lopez wins the eighth game and it is 5-3 in his favour
Lopez has started to find his rhythm and shifted gears.
5.39 pm: Ramkumar struggles to hold serve in the seventh game and it is 4-3 in favour of Lopez.
Ramkumar Ramanathan started off well but now seems to struggle a lit bit.
5.34 pm: Excellent return from the young Ramkumar and it is 40-30 in the sixth game. But Lopez pulls off and wins the sixth game and it is 4-2 in Lopez favour.
Can Ramkumar break the Lopez serve?
5.29 pm: Feliciano Lopez breaks Ramkumar Ramanathan's serve in the fifth game. It's 3-2 in favour of Lopez
Davis Cup 2016 LIVE: Tennis results and scores with Andy Murray, Del Potro and more: In a repeat of their Rio... >https://t.co/fW4nN2os0c
— ICE-CREAM MAN (@Segzy006) >September 16, 2016
5.24 pm: It's 2-2 in the first set. Ramkumar Ramanathan is stretching Lopez on his serve. Excellent display from the youngster.
5.20 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan takes the third game in the first set.
5.19 pm: Lopez sweats to take the second game and it is 1-1 in the first set.
Murray v Del Potro Davis Cup Semi about to start >#DavisCup>#GoodDayToBeOff
— Denny Ford (@DennyFord5) >September 16, 2016
5.17 pm: It's duece in the second game served by Lopez.
5.12 pm: Ramkumar Ramanathan wins the first game
5.10 p.m.: Ramkumar Ramanathan to serve in the first game and takes the first point.
