Davis Cup | India go 2-0 down against China as Ramkumar Ramanathan, Sumit Nagal lose

04/06/2018

The Indian Davis Cup team suffered two shock defeats on the opening day of the second round tie against China of the Asia-Oceania Group I. In the absence of Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Sumit Nagal lost their respective singles’ matches in straight sets as China took a 2-0 lead.

In the first match of the tie, Ramkumar Ramanathan faced 18-year old Yibing Wu. Ramkumar is ranked 132 in the world while his teenaged opponent is ranked exactly 200 places above him (332), but the rankings didn’t matter as the 23-year-old Indian lost in straight sets.

Ramkumar began well as he broke Yibing’s serve in the very first game but the 18-year-old Chinese broke back in the very next game to draw level. The first set was taken into the tie-breaker as the two players battled it out, but the Chinese won the tie-breaker and thus, took the first set. Ramkumar once again had a very good opportunity in the second set as he got a chance to break twice, but he couldn’t capitalize and eventually, the World No. 132 lost the second set 4-6.

In the second match of the day, Ze Zhang, ranked 247, beat Sumit Nagal in straight sets. The match lasted just 67 minutes as Nagal lost 4-6, 1-6 and India conceded a 2-0 lead to China after the opening day.

India have not lost a Davis Cup round at the Asia/Oceania level since February 2013 and therefore, there will be a lot of pressure on the doubles pair and Rohan Bopanna. The duo will face Mao-Xin Gong and Di Wu on Saturday (April 7) in a must-win match.

Leander Paes is also on the verge of becoming the most successful doubles player in the history of Davis Cup. He is currently tied on 42 wins with Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli.

Davis Cup | India go 2-0 down against China as Ramkumar Ramanathan, Sumit Nagal lose

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