Rohan-Sriram beat Uzbekistan's Fayziev-Dustov in straight sets to give India unassailable 3-0 lead
Rohan Bopanna, Sriram Balaji
India’s Rohan Bopanna (left) and Sriram Balaji celebrate their doubles win over Uzbekistan’s Farrukh Dustov and Sanjar Fayziev with a chest bump during the Davis Cup tie in Bangalore on Saturday. Pic/PTI
Bangalore: Confetti and the loudly-played popular Bollywood number 'Chak de India' marked India taking an unassailable 3-0 lead against Uzbekistan in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania tie on Saturday. But more than the song and smiling faces, the sight of Sriram Balaji, one half of the doubles match-winning pair with Rohan Bopanna, and Prajnesh Gunnaeswaran leading India's victory lap around the KSLTA Stadium was a happy pointer to the future. Bopanna and Balaji dismantled Uzbek's Sanjar Fayziev and Farruukh Dustov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 23 minutes.
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The win also marked a successful debut for Mahesh Bhupathi as India's non-playing captain. "I am not really good with stats. But it has been a positive beginning for me and the whole team. I am in the learning process as a coach; so far so good," said Bhupathi.
On a humid evening, Bopanna and Balaji worked up a good rhythm and offered little opportunity to their opponents, breaking them twice in the first and third sets and once in the second set. Bopanna was chuffed to see his young partner covering his debut blues, at least openly.
"Balaji was so relaxed on the court. I just needed to ask him to stay focused and don't get carried away. We kept encouraging each other. Bala was serving and moving very well. This is what happens when we train together for nearly a week, have dinner or a pool session together, the bonding goes to a new level," said Bopanna.
Bhupathi too acknowledged the fact that Balaji served to a nicety. "We knew the conditions well. I have been saying that we selected the squad as per the conditions.
We have a good mix of players — players who can serve big, return well. I am confident that they can make a difference on any kind of surface," he said.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu youngster credited Bhupathi and Bopanna for calming his nerves. "I was a bit nervous to start as I was playing for the country, but Bops and Hesh did not make me feel like it was my first game and encouraged me to play my natural game," he said.
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