Leander wins, Mahesh loses
The score at the end of the first day of the Davis Cup tie in Delhi, exactly what the punters predicted. India 1, Chile 1.
Playing with almost clinical precision, Leander Paes
decimated Gabriel Silberstein 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to give India the lead.
But World No 7 Marcelo Rios was just too good for Mahesh Bhupathi.
His 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win levelled the score, which means that Saturday's
doubles encounter will be decisive for the final outcome.
With superb volleys and fine cross court returns, Paes dominated the 84 minute match. ''I did not have to do much," he said later, "I raised my game when the
situation demanded, otherwise I did not exert much.'' The Chilean said
the difference between Paes and him was that the Indian was
used to playing on grass, "while I did not have much practice on this surface.''
Silberstein admitted that Paes was the better player on Friday. "The good thing
about Paes is that he is very fast, athletic and can move easily," he said.
Boosted by loud cries of "Go Leander Go" from a decidedly teeny-bopper crowd,
Paes was confident from the start. Less flamboyant for sure, the
Calcutta lad played a controlled game that enabled him to make up for the
occasional, unforced errors he committed.
Playing his 13th Davis Cup singles tie, Paes took just 30 minutes to
win the first set -- though he had trouble with
his first serve. The Indian fired eight aces and committed five double faults; his
opponent had three aces and four double faults.
What thrilled the crowds was the way Paes saved five break points. His returns
were stunning and left Silberstein stranded. On a slow court, with uncertain
bounce, the Chilean found it hard to cope with the Indian's low returns.
The second set lasted 27 minutes, with Paes breaking Silberstein in the fifth and
seventh games to claim it 6-2.
In full flow in the third set, Paes committed some
unforced mistakes, but made quick amends to
snuff out any hope the Chilean may have had of extending
the match to a fourth set.
''I made some stupid mistakes," Silberstein said, promising
to give a better display against Bhupathi in the last singles tie
on Sunday.
The Bangalore lad will have something to prove too,
after losing his tie to the pony-tailed
Chilean with a tremendous reputation
Under a hot September sun, Rios forgot all about his distaste for grass
and produced a typical power game to win the first set 6-2.
The Indian seemed overawed by his rival and even before he could
settle down, Rios had broken him in
the third game to take a 3-1 lead. Then seeing Bhupathi out of
sorts, he broke him again in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead.
In both games, Bhupathi was guilty of one double fault each
and made some unpardonable mistakes at the net. To his credit, he
did not give up and in the eighth game
with Rios double faulting and hitting an easy overhead smash into
the net the Indian was on break point. With controlled serves
and then an ace, the Chilean protected his serve and won the first set
6-2.
Bhupathi -- the only Indian ever to win a Grand Slam event; he won the French Open mixed doubles title this year -- then raised a
glimmer of hope by winning the second set.
His game was better -- his serve had improved, his
court craft had gained an edge -- and with a brilliant forehand
return, a winner on
the next point and a superb volley he broke Rios's first
service game in the second set.
His confidence growing, Bhupathi began to get his shots in,
surprising Rios. The Chilean kept his serve till the eighth game
when the Indian began troubling him again, winning two set points.
Rios looked he might break back in the ninth game as he won a
point thanks to the net chord. He then came up with a classic
forehand to be on break point. But the Chilean then blundered after a
good rally and could not return serve. Bhupathi kept his serve and
took the second set 6-3.
Rios, who had seven aces to Bhupathi's five, got back to serious
business in the third set and showed his intentions by taking his
first service game on love. Bhupathi played well in the third set,
but that was not good enough
to beat a player of Rios's class. Whether it was a classy
forehand or some good baseline play, Bhupathi needed a winner on
almost every point to topple Rios, quarterfinalist at the
Australian and US Opens.
The Indian's serve was broken in the sixth game after Rios, with a
magnificent forehand and good service returns, changed gears
suddenly. In the ninth game with an ace at 40-15, Rios went two
sets up.
Bhupathi lost his second service game in the fourth
set with a double fault at 0-40 to give Rios a 2-1 lead. He
had a good chance to break back in the sixth game, but Rios fought
back with a good cross court shot and an ace to go up 4-2.
The Chilean gave Bhupathi no chance to get his act
together, and at the end
the Indian had to rest content with the one set he had taken off
Rios.
The lefthanded Rios, who won the match in 2 hours and 15
minutes, said the conditions on court were better than he
had anticipated. "I still
say grass is for cows,'' he said, adding it was tough playing on
grass if a player had a big serve.
Rios said he respected Bhupathi's ability.''I knew
before he's a brave player. He can play well when he wants,'' the
Chilean said, gracious in victory.
Bhupathi, ranked 220th in the world, said the problem playing a player of the Chilean's quality
was that he would return, however big the serve was. Even on
volleys, Rios would get the ball back across, Bhupathi said.
Bhupathi and Paes are scheduled to meet Nicolas
Massu and Hermes Gamonal, but it is certain the visitors will change
their combination. Silberstein said as much when he said ''yes, I would like to play. Even though we have less chance
against the Indians, it will give us valuable practice.''
While India is playing to stay in the elite group of
16, Chile is fighting to enter it after being there last in
1987.
Paes felt if the tie was
levelled 2-2, then Bhupathi will have a big advantage over
Silberstein. "Tomorrow we will get much more rhythm,'' the
Indian No 1 said, adding
''Sunday is going to be a funday.''
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