It was a wish granted for all those who had queued up on a hot and humid day to watch Rafael Nadal in action.
His presence in Spain’s national jersey for the Davis Cup doubles tie on Saturday stirred up the passion, clamour and an unabated excitement in the stands. However, it took one man called Leander Paes to melt all that away and morph into national fervor.
For, Paes can talk to the crowd, he can make them respond to his exhilarating presence with his exquisite craft, and emotional gestures replete with passionate cries, and fist pumps. Alongwith Saketh Myneni, he worked up a set and break lead against the Rio gold medallists Nadal and Marc Lopez, before waning away.
In a high quality doubles rubber of Davis Cup World Group play-off, India might have lost 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4, but they kept themselves in the hunt till the last minute, of the three hour 23 minutes tussle. In the end Nadal came into his own and with Lopez following him in toe, Spain conjured a 3-0 unbeatable lead to enter the World Group
“It was a tough match,” Nadal acknowledged. “Leander is one of the best players in the history of the game in the doubles.”
Paes was looking to achieve the record of maximum doubles win of 43 in Davis Cup but he will have to wait.
Nonetheless, it was an inspired performance from the Indian duo, with 43-year-old Paes shouldering the responsibility both from the backcourt and at the net. Myneni wobbled at the start before gaining in confidence and rhythm.
Once he got into the groove, Paes showed the way as he volleyed, intercepted and blocked the power-packed groundstrokes of Nadal and Lopez in a superlative show. With Nadal giving away little, the Indians targeted the serve of Lopez and it paid off instantly.
The hosts were quick to fall behind in the opening set when Paes lost his serve in the fourth game with Myneni dumping an overhead shot in the net. But they shot back by breaking Lopez in the seventh game to draw level.
With momentum now with Indians, they broke the 14-time Grand Slam champion on the second break-point with Paes producing a crisp backhand volley winner. Myneni then held his nerve to serve out the opening set.
A charged up Indians broke Lopez straightaway in the second game of the second set to nose ahead before Myneni dropped his serve in the tenth game. The match spilled into the tie-breaker where Spain prevailed to make it a set all.
The Spaniards returned reformed after the changeover with Nadal taking the court with determined strides. Paes was broken in the third game and Spain wrapped up the match in a jiffy with Nadal lending the finishing touches with a powerful forehand down the line winner.
Paes, though, was not be to denied. He was all fired up ahead of the fourth set, his infectious energy rubbing on Myneni as well. Nadal was broken at love straightaway when he double faulted on break point and the Indians had surged ahead 4-1 with a fifth set in horizon.
But Nadal quickly took lead to break a shaky Myneni in the seventh game. With match back on serve, the Spaniards broke Paes, this time it was Lopez who stepped up to seal the break with a forehand winner. It was then left to Nadal to serve out the match, which he did without much fuss.
The chants of Rafa returned, and for Paes, too. It was an ideal Davis Cup replete with emotions and one that Indian fans would cherish for long.
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