<p>Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh scored contrasting victories for India in the dead singles rubbers to complete a 5-0 whitewash of New Zealand in the Davis Cup Group 1 Asia-Oceania relegation play-off tie at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>It was also the first time since 2005 that India rustled up a 5-0 victory. The last time India notched up a 5-0 victory was against Uzbekistan on the grasscourts of Kolkata.<br />Having already taken an unassailable lead on Saturday, Yuki Bhambri, who gave India their first win on Friday, returned to play the first reverse singles, reduced to best of three-sets, against New Zealand’s No 1 Jose Statham. Yuki, however, was erratic before dugging in to pull off a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory. <br /><br />But Sanam, playing his first match in the tie in front of his home crowd, was a delight to watch. His groundstrokes were fluent and showed excellent court craft to glide to a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Artem Sitak. It was also the first straight-set victory in the tie. Yuki, who was stretched to a five-setter in the opening singles, looked a tad nervous. He was good in patches but for most part struggled with the length of his strokes and movement. His serve, too, lacked consistency.<br /><br />Statham, looking solid, cashed in on. He broke Yuki in fifth and seventh games to run away with the first set. Yuki drew parity when he served out the second set; a forehand down the line bringing the break in the 12th game.<br /><br />In the decider, the 20-year old Indian trailed 2-4 but broke back to level scores. He held a match point at 6-5 but muffed it and the set spilled into the tie-breaker. He led 5-0 in the tie-breaker but committed too many errors to tie the score at 5-5 before sealing the match with a forehand winner.<br /><br />With India leading 4-0, Sanam carried the momentum into the final match. He fearlessly went for the lines and often caught Sitak off guard with his deft touches at net.<br /><br />Sanam broke Sitak in the fifth game of the match but squandered the advantage. He, however, recovered to take a 5-3 lead before serving out the set in the 10th game. He went rampant in the second set. Sitak could do little but be a mere bystander and double-faulted at the match point to give the local boy his first victory in a Davis Cup match.<br /><br />India now awaits the draw for their next opponents in the Asia-Oceania Group 1 that will be announced on September 19. Till then, this young side can bask in the glory of their achievement.<br /></p>
<p>Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh scored contrasting victories for India in the dead singles rubbers to complete a 5-0 whitewash of New Zealand in the Davis Cup Group 1 Asia-Oceania relegation play-off tie at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>It was also the first time since 2005 that India rustled up a 5-0 victory. The last time India notched up a 5-0 victory was against Uzbekistan on the grasscourts of Kolkata.<br />Having already taken an unassailable lead on Saturday, Yuki Bhambri, who gave India their first win on Friday, returned to play the first reverse singles, reduced to best of three-sets, against New Zealand’s No 1 Jose Statham. Yuki, however, was erratic before dugging in to pull off a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory. <br /><br />But Sanam, playing his first match in the tie in front of his home crowd, was a delight to watch. His groundstrokes were fluent and showed excellent court craft to glide to a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Artem Sitak. It was also the first straight-set victory in the tie. Yuki, who was stretched to a five-setter in the opening singles, looked a tad nervous. He was good in patches but for most part struggled with the length of his strokes and movement. His serve, too, lacked consistency.<br /><br />Statham, looking solid, cashed in on. He broke Yuki in fifth and seventh games to run away with the first set. Yuki drew parity when he served out the second set; a forehand down the line bringing the break in the 12th game.<br /><br />In the decider, the 20-year old Indian trailed 2-4 but broke back to level scores. He held a match point at 6-5 but muffed it and the set spilled into the tie-breaker. He led 5-0 in the tie-breaker but committed too many errors to tie the score at 5-5 before sealing the match with a forehand winner.<br /><br />With India leading 4-0, Sanam carried the momentum into the final match. He fearlessly went for the lines and often caught Sitak off guard with his deft touches at net.<br /><br />Sanam broke Sitak in the fifth game of the match but squandered the advantage. He, however, recovered to take a 5-3 lead before serving out the set in the 10th game. He went rampant in the second set. Sitak could do little but be a mere bystander and double-faulted at the match point to give the local boy his first victory in a Davis Cup match.<br /><br />India now awaits the draw for their next opponents in the Asia-Oceania Group 1 that will be announced on September 19. Till then, this young side can bask in the glory of their achievement.<br /></p>
