India switch doubles pair but go down 0-3 to Finland

Prajnesh, Ramkumar lose in singles matches

ESPOO: India made a desperate tactical switch by pairing Ramkumar Ramanathan with Rohan Bopanna instead of Divij Sharan for the doubles match against Finland in the Davis Cup World Group I First Round tie. But the switch did not work out as India, after losing both the singles on the first day, lost the doubles match too and conceded an unassailable 0-3 lead to Finland on Saturday.

The last-minute combination of Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan went down 7-6(2), 7-6(2) to Harri Hellovoora and Henri Kontinen of Finland in one hour and 38 minutes.

India were staring at defeat after Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar went down in straight sets on the first day. Their hopes depended on the doubles combination winning their match and allowing the singles players to make a comeback in the reverse singles.

However, that did not materialise as Bopanna and Ramkumar could not put it across the Finnish pair. They did combine well but as they were playing a match of this stature for the first time, the Indian pair was found wanting on crucial points.

The Indians served well in the first set, sending down four aces but they also served two double faults. Games went with serve till the tiebreak when the Finnish pair dominated. Though the Indians served well, they could only win 70 per cent service points as compared to 80 per cent by their rivals.

Bopanna said the tactical switch by captain and coach was the right one, though the result was not what they had expected.

"We all sat down and discussed what needs to be done and the final call was by the captain and coach. They obviously thought that Ram and me were the right team to play today. But having said that, whichever team was there for us today, we knew going 0-2 down and we had to win the key doubles. Today, Ram and me were the right team chosen by the captain and coach to play this tie," Bopanna said.

"It's unfortunate that it didn't go that way and even Ram... first time he was playing a Davis Cup tie with me in doubles, and he really played well. He was returning well and serving well, what he does best. There are a lot of things to learn from this match. To lose 7-6, 7-6, you know, you had some chances and it was pretty close and it could have easily turned the other way and gone to three sets but that's what, we live by the team and whether we win or lose, we work as a team together," he said during a virtual press conference on Saturday.

Earlier, India lost both singles matches on Friday. Prajnesh Gunneswaran went down in straight sets to Otto Virtanen, 3-6, 6-7(1) in the opening singles, and then Ramkumar Ramanathan lost 4-6, 5-7 to Emil Ruusuvuori, Finland's top singles player ranked 74 in the world, in one hour and 36 minutes as the hosts took charge of the encounter. IANS

Also Read: Sensex crosses 59-K mark; Telecom stocks soar

Also Watch: