Thaindian News

Chennai, Sep.19 (ANI): Scripting a remarkable 3-2 win over Brazil team in the play-off tie here on Sunday, Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna powered India to the elite Davis Cup World Group.

After missing two match-points in the eighth game, Bopanna served out the tie for India in next game. He fell on the court on his back after dropping a volley winner, which sealed his and India’s win.

Bopanna won the rubber without dropping his serve as he saved two set-points in the 10th game of the second set, which he won in a tie-breaker.

Like the first set, Bopanna broke Mello in the fourth game of the third set and went onto win comfortably.

The Indian team, having lost both the singles on Friday, recoverd magnificently, as it won the next three ties - the doubles on Saturday and the two reverse singles on Sunday.

Brazil now have lost five consecutive play-off ties since 2006.

Somdev and Bopanna downed their higher-ranked rivals in a do-or-die situation and led India to its first ever win in a Davis Cup tie from a 0-2 deficit.

Sweden has the most 0-2 comeback wins in the Davis Cup history with five victories and only once a team has won a final from 0-2 scoreline when Australia defeated USA in 1939.

A dominant Somdev led 7-6 (3), 4-0 before world number 27 Thomaz Bellucci conceded the first revesre singles, and allowing India to level the tie 2-2.

The 479th-ranked Bopanna then came out firing on all cylinders to beat 75th-ranked Ricardo Mello 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 in the fifth rubber to complete an amazing come-from-behind win.

On Saturday, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had brought India back in the tie by beating Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in the doubles rubber.

India were forced into the play-offs after losing to Russia 2-3 in the World Group first round in Moscow in March.

Bopanna, who had squandered three match-points against Bellucci on Friday, showed a lot of control over shots under crunch situations.

India’s decision to host the tie on hard courts under trying weather conditions paid as it played an important part in turning tide in favour if India on the final day. (ANI)