JOIN USCzechs prove too hot to handle
The sun couldn’t have been harsher, and humidity levels had touched punishing levels. It was an ideal home advantage for the Indians whose survival in this Davis Cup World Group play-off tie hinged on the first reverse singles on Sunday. Yuki Bhambri, the local boy, nonetheless, had a tough task at hands against Czech Republic’s No 1 Jiri Vesely.
Vesely had shown vulnerability in these boiling conditions against Somdev Devvarman on Friday and Indians would have hoped Yuki, who had been groomed in these conditions and court, to fire. But Vesely, the world No 40 who had never won a live Davis Cup singles rubber before, broke mental barriers to beat the No 1 Indian 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes at the RK Khanna stadium on Sunday. With his triumph, the Czechs clinched the tie 3-1 and regained a place in the World Group, which they had dominated during their 2012 and 2013 title wins.
India, on the other hand, would remain in Asia-Oceania Group I after another attempt to enter World Group fell flat.
The dead-fifth rubber, which was to take place between No 2 players of the two countries, Somdev and Lukas Rosol, was later scrapped due to the hot weather conditions.
The lone point for India in the tie was won by Somdev whose win over Vesely in the second singles had given India a strong chance. However, the formidable pairing of Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna found themselves flat-footed against Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek in a shocking doubles defeat. Captain Anand Amritraj summed up tie from the perspective of doubles loss. “I think we lost the match yesterday. Had we won, there would have been less pressure on Yuki, knowing that Somdev would be next and would be keeping Rosol in the sun for 2-3 hours. We could have been 3-2!,” he said.
Vesely was never comfortable in heat. But the towering left-hander came better prepared mentally to hang on. He served phenomenally, sending down literal thunderbolts touching 200 kmph, to break the spirits of Yuki and the hopes of an enthusiastic crowd.
Yuki did his best but with the battle coming down to physical fitness he couldn’t deliver the goods. The Delhi boy was sluggish in his movements, and although brilliant in phases, his groundstrokes deep and powerful, he couldn’t maintain that level. The challenge was to break Vesely’s serve but the Czech never provided any leeway.
Yuki instantly trailed 1-4 in the opening set before the Czech closed out the set in the ninth game. Spurred by a handsome crowd, that had turned out despite the heat, Yuki strung up a better performance in the second set. He served big, comprising four love holds, and grabbed as many as five break points at different stages of the set.
However, the best chance for him came in eighth game when a tiring Czech double-faulted to hand him two break points. But Vesely, the way he did throughout in the match, wriggled himself out with powerful serving. He, instead, broke Yuki in the 11th game and sealed a 2-0 lead with a booming ace.
If one had expected a change of fortunes in the third set, it was not to be. Yuki dropped his serve straightaway and in no time was trailing 0-4. Somdev from the sidelines shouted out instructions, Paes and Bopanna cheered for him, to no avail. Vesely wrapped it up swiftly in the eight game. He was soaked in sweat, his clothes clinging to his body. But on the day, the young Czech giant, surrounded by his team and supporters, smiled through it.