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Paes-Fazaluddin lose doubles tie

Shailesh Soni

Lebanon kept themselves in the running in the Asia-Oceania Zone Group-I Davis Cup tie against India by winning the doubles match at the Oudh Gymkhana courts in Lucknow on Saturday.

With India winning both the opening singles on Friday, the scoreline, after the doubles match, reads 1-2.

India were expected to win the doubles and wrap up the tie, but Leander Paes and Syed Fazaluddin, after winning the first set, lost their way and lost to Ali Hamadeh and Hicam Zaatini 7-6(7-2), 6-7(3-7), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6.

In the first set there were no service breaks and the set went into tie-breaker. The Indians went up a mini break early in the tie-breaker and quickly finished it at 7-6(7-2).

The second set was a tale of missed opportunities as the Indians wasted five break chances on Zaatini's serve at 2-1 in the fourth game. Again at 6-5, three set points were wasted by the Indians before the set went into the tie-breaker. Lebanon then got the first mini break on Leander's serve and then another one on Fazaluddin's serve to proceed to take the set at 7-6(7-3).

Having restored parity, Hamadeh and Zaatini played with lot more confidence in the third set. But India got the early break in third game off Ali Hamadeh's service. They kept the lead and took the set at 6-4.

Games went with serve in the fourth set till a lapse in concentration on Leander's part saw him drop serve in the eighth game. Ali Hamadeh served the ninth at love to hold and give Lebanon the set.

The fifth set saw the Lebanese in full cry. They broke Fazaluddin right away in the first game. Fazal was in trouble again in the fifth game when rain interrupted play for 20 minutes. However, he went on to save the game after the play resumed. A double fault by Zaatini then gave India a chance to break in the eighth but they could not convert it. In the ninth game Fazal faced three match-points, which the Indians managed to saved every time. But that was not enough as Ali Hamadeh served out the tenth game to give Lebanon the set and match.

Tomorrow Leander Paes will play Zaatini while Fazaluddin will face Hamadeh in the reverse singles.