Taiwan’s Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group One clash with India was all square at the end of yesterday’s opening day at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung.
India’s Somdev Devvaraman beat Chen Ti 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 in the day’s first match before Lu Yen-hsun defeated Rohan Bopanna 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-2.
Chen had a set point in the 10th game of the first set but sent a forehand return long. Devvaraman then broke the Taiwanese player’s serve in the 11th game before earning a set point in the next.
PHOTO: AFP
The Indian produced a good first serve that Chen just managed to get back but the return only sat up for Devvaraman to put away with a forehand.
After taking the second set Devvaraman served for the match at 5-4 up in the third. Chen earned himself a break point but a good serve saved the Indian.
Chen hit a forehand long on Devvaraman’s first match point to hand him the victory.
PHOTO: AFP
“I didn’t expect him to play at such a slow pace, so I took the initiative to attack,” said Chen, who acknowledged he may have been a little too impatient and not consistent enough at the net, especially at critical times.
Taiwanese No.1 Lu was pushed hard by world No. 320 Rohan Bopanna in the first set of their match but after claiming a tie-break 7-2 regained control in the second, going on to win after the match was delayed by rain for more than an hour with Lu serving at match point.
“I struggled a little bit today but I was determined to get the win any way I could,” said Lu, who fought inconsistent groundstrokes, especially in the first set when he had to save four break points.
The 29-year-old Bopanna, who concentrates more on doubles at this point in his career, troubled Taiwan’s top player with his powerful serve in pushing the first set to a tiebreaker.
But Lu steamrolled through the deciding game, capitalizing on three unforced errors by Bopanna and three of his own winners.
Yang Tsung-hua and Yi Chu-huan take on Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes in the doubles today.
Australia’s gamble on using youngster Brydan Klein in their clash with Thailand failed as he was beaten by the experienced Danai Udomchoke yesterday.
Udomchoke won 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 to square the tie at 1-1 after Lleyton Hewitt breezed through his match against Kittipong Wachiramanowong 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
The tie will now hinge on today’s doubles.
The winning nation will progress to a further regional playoff against the winner of the Taiwan-India tie, with that winner to go into World Group playoffs.
Elsewhere, Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda won their singles matches to give Japan to a 2-0 lead over China in their Group 1 clash in Osaka.
In Asia-Oceania Group Two yesterday New Zealand took a 2-0 lead over Malaysia in Auckland while in Solo, hosts Indonesia and Kuwait are level at 1-1.
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