Rare Davis Cup doubles loss for Paes
India’s Leander Paes and his partner Rohan Bopanna went down tamely to Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek to hand the advantage to the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup World Group playoff in New Delhi.
A day after Somdev Devvarman pulled off an upset victory over Jiri Vesley to help India level at 1-1, the hosts had pinned a lot of hopes on their doubles pair to wrest the initiative in their bid to reclaim a spot among the competition’s elite.
However, veteran Paes and Bopanna, a fancied player on the professional doubles circuit, were beaten 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in just over two hours, as a vociferous crowd at the RK Khanna Stadium grew silent as the day passed.
It was only the second Davis Cup doubles loss in 15 years for the 42-year-old Paes, whose previous defeat — also with Bopanna — was against Uzbekistan in 2012.
Three-times champions and top seeds in the 2015 World Group playoffs, the Czech Republic go into the final day 2-1 up. Sunday’s action will pit Yuki Bhambri against Vesely and Devvarman against Lukas Rosol in the reverse singles.
India came close to achieving promotion in last year’s playoffs, but were edged out in a deciding fifth rubber by Serbia. They were last in the World Group in 2011.
The Czech have never lost to India in three previous meetings, the last being in 1997.
Pavlasek was playing only his second Davis Cup match, but his net play was impressive, as the experienced Stepanek stayed on the baseline and allowed his 20-year-old partner to lead the attack.
Bopanna appeared out of sorts in volleying, failing to convert the easiest of points. His serve was also a letdown, broken in the fifth game of the opening set and again, along with Paes, in the second.Â
The final set was lop-sided, with the visitors racing to a 5-2 lead and Stepanek sealing the victory in style.