Spain's Marc Lopez en route to his 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win over Sumit Nagal in their Davis Cup singles dead rubber in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)
Spain blanked India 5-0 in the Davis Cup World Group playoff as the hosts lost both dead reverse singles on Sunday, but the atmosphere at the RK Khanna Stadium was as electric as it was on the first two days of the event.
There is no dearth of Rafael Nadal fans in this country and the more than half-filled stadium was its proof on Day Three as sections of the crowd charged up the atmosphere with energetic bouts of bhangra to the beats of the dhol at regular intervals.
Debutant teenager Sumit Nagal played his heart out for more than two hours against Spain’s experienced Marc Lopez, but breathing problems cost him as he lost 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 in the first reverse singles rubber.
Spain, who had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead after the doubles Day Two, made it a clean sweep when Ramkumar Ramanathan went down 2-6, 2-6 against world no. 3 David Ferrer.
“Nagal had some breathing problem and that stop him towards the end of the match. No two ways about it that Marc played well today after playing four-set intense match on Saturday and three-set today. It shows how the Spanish team is fit,” India non-playing captain Anand Amritraj said.
Nagal added, “This was my first match in the Davis Cup and I tried my best but had some fitness issue.”
The second reverse singles rubber was a lop-sided affair with Ramanathan failed to produce the same show as he did on opening day. Ferrer tried his best to finish off the match as early as possible clinching two sets in a row to wrap up the tie unbeatable.
Always special to play in India: Nadal Fourteen-time Grand Slam winner Spain’s Rafael Nadal was on a mission to India – to help his team re-enter the Davis Cup World Group — and it was accomplished on Saturday night. Nadal and his Rio Olympics gold medalist partner Marc Lopez defeated Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni in the doubles rubber to complete his mission.
“They played well but we are happy to have the victory and come back to the World Group, that’s where we think we have to be with so many of our players in the top 100. That’s what was our goal and we did it. For us it was a very important confrontation after two years being away from the World Group,” Nadal said after the doubles rubber, which lasted three hours and 23 minutes.
Describing his experience in India, he said: “It is always special to play in a country where we don’t play too often. In India I have played in Chennai few years and then last year it was the Indian Premier Tennis League and then this year it was Davis Cup. The fans are passionate here and it is great for the players and good for our sport.”
Asked if he would play in the IPTL next year, Nadal said: “I’m playing IPTL but I don’t know if I am playing for India. That you have to ask Mahesh Bhupathi.”
