Bangalore: Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran handed India a 2-0 lead over Uzbekistan as they staved off spirited challenges in their respective singles matches in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie here Friday.
In the first match, 267th ranked Ramanathan overcame Temur Isamilov 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, while debutant Gunneswaran, ranked 187, outwitted Sanjar Fayzieb 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Ismailov is ranked 406, while Fayzieb was played in place of Denis Istomin, who had pulled out of the second round tie due to a foot injury.
To his credit, Ismailov made life difficult for the Indian despite suffering cramps in his right hamstring at the beginning of the third set.
Ramkumar dominated the proceedings before a bout of double faults (11 in all in the second set) handed Ismailov a small opening, which the Uzbek grabbed with both hands to make a match of it.
The Indian sealed the opening set in a jiffy and was leading 4-3 in the second when he saw himself down 0-40. He saved two breakpoints but netted a backhand on the third to allow Ismailov stay alive. The Uzbek then broke Ramkumar in the 12th game to win the set and restore parity.
However, cramps affected the Uzbek’s momentum and Ramkumar ran away with the third set. In the fourth set, Ismailov tried his best, but two unforced errors in the 11th game gave Ramkumar three breakpoints. He duly converted the third one and closed out the set with some high-voltage serving.
In the second singles of the day, Gunneswaran after winning the first set easily committed some unforced errors in the set to hand over the advantage to the lower-ranked Uzbek. Fayziev won the set and was leading 3-1 in the third when he lost concentration. Gunneswaran drove home the advantage, broke Fayziev twice and reeled off five games to win the third set. The fourth set was a one-sided affair.
Press Trust of India
