Davis Cup: Rafa magic sends Spain into elite set

Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns to India’s Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni in their doubles rubber of the Davis Cup World Group playoff at the DLTA courts in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)

Desperate to return to the Davis Cup World Group, Spain chose to close out the rubber on Day Two itself, taking the critical doubles match against the hosts for a decisive 3-0 lead at the RK Khanna Stadium here on Saturday.

The visitors fielded their best bet in the Rio Olympic gold combination of Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez for the doubles rubber. The Spaniards Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni 4-6, 7-5 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 in a marathon three hour, 23 minutes-match. On the opening day Spain had won both singles rubbers.

“It was a great match. Leander and Myneni played really well. They fought hard. For us, it is an important moment to be back where we think we should be.

“India is close to my heart and it was really nice being here,” Nadal said after the match.

Both teams held serve till the third game. The visiting side, relying on Lopez’s sliced backhand and Nadal’s clean returns, broke the Indians in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead.

The next game also went the Spaniards’ way and it seemed the match would follow the same course. But the fifth saw the Indians hitt back as they brought their A game to the court.

With Paes’ magical touch, Myneni also gained his lost touch and they broke their higher ranked opponents with ease.

Thereafter there was no looking back for the home team as they levelled scores in the next game without wasting much time.

The Rio Olympic winners were broken in the next game again to their surprise with Nadal hitting twice into the net and giving the Indians a much-needed 5-4 lead, the first time in the opening set.

Boosted by their lead, the hosts pocketed the set with Paes coming to the net to earn crucial points.

Leander and Myneni started the second set from where they had left off, racing to a 3-1 lead en route breaking the visiting side’s game once.

The next three games went with serve as Spain closed the gap to 3-4. The Indians reeled off four consecutive points to take a 5-3 lead with their powerful returns and sublime serves.

In the ninth game, the hosts squandered three set points as Spain took the game and levelled scores thereafter.

Spain upped the ante to hold serve punctuated with Nadal’s winners but India stretched the set to the tie-breaker where the Spanish duo had the last laugh.

With sets level, both teams upped the intensity and Spain went 3-1 up only to see the Indians fighting back to close the gap to 3-4 thereafter. Subsequent games went with serve as the visitors squandered set points in the ninth game but still managed to come through to take the set for a 2-1 lead.

With the heat and humidity receding as the evening wore on, Spain got stronger and went on to to pocket the fourth set and match without breaking much sweat.