One win from two would have made India feel good. But all that it could mange was one set and thereby the worst possible result.
First Dusan Lajovic and then Filip Krajinovic dismantled India with surgical precision to give Serbia a 2-0 lead on day one of the Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.
Playing a tactically excellent match, Lajovic first bested Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 under the warm afternoon sun. A much cooler evening awaited Somdev Devvarman but there were to be no pleasant memories as Krajinovic blunted his challenge 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Both Bhambri and Lajovic were initially tentative. It seemed like a recce of sorts; for, much of the pre-match banter was dedicated to the high-bouncing surface and how it could all go awry if power and top spin were not happily married.
Lajovic found the right mix at the fag end of the first set; Bhambri didn’t throughout. He had 59 unforced errors.
“It's always tough playing in Bangalore,” said Bhambri after the defeat. “You might not be able to control your shots and I think that’s what happened today. I also feel I might have given him a bit too much respect.”
But Lajovic has much to like about his game. His is an elegant service motion and a neat one-handed backhand, nurtured on video clippings of Pete Sampras in full flow, and a second-serve — not as good as his idol’s — but still effective. He served five aces to Bhambri’s zero, three of them on second serves, and executed a few down-the-line backhands, including the one to go one set up.
It took eight set points for the World No. 61 to wrap up the first set. Once done, the second set was spent deepening his hold over the match. It fell 6-2. But it also led to Lajovic switching off early in the third as his opponent ran ahead 4-1. Bhambri then had a break point to stretch it to 5-1, but squandered it and let the 24-year-old back.
There was a particular moment at 4-4 in the third set on the Bhambri serve which was the match in a nut-shell. The ball popped up mid-court, waiting for an extravagant flourish from Lajovic.
But it was treated to a load of top spin, pulling it back just in time for it to kiss the inside of the tramline and drift away for the winner.
Lajovic played well within himself; not extravagant, but solid enough.
But Krajonovic made up for all the aggression that Lajovic didn’t show.
Equally adept at the net as well as the baseline, he took the first set in a scamper — 6-1.
While Devvarman did well to negate the bounce off the court, the balls instead sat up for Krajinovic to pick his spot and force through the winner. Also, his volleying left much to be desired.
Devvarman gave himself a chance in the second. He stayed with his opponent, and rallied well. A four-deuce game ended with him breaking for 2-1. Then a hold from 0-30 gave him a 3-1 lead. He went on to win the set 6-4 showing the kind of fight he is generally known for.
But it soon ended. After failing to open-up the third set even after forcing Krajinovic to a couple of tough holds early on, his confidence broke. What followed from then on was more academic.
“I didn’t feel like I was volleying well,” he said.
“So I stayed behind on baseline in the third and fourth sets. I knew Filip was a good player, but I wasn’t good enough. It was very frustrating because I set the points up well, created opportunities, but could not finish.”
The result gives Serbia the chance to close out the tie on Saturday. While Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic will be hoping for that, the Indian pair of Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna would want to do everything that can give Devvarman and Bhambri another chance to salvage it.
First Dusan Lajovic and then Filip Krajinovic dismantled India with surgical precision to give Serbia a 2-0 lead on day one of the Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.
Playing a tactically excellent match, Lajovic first bested Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 under the warm afternoon sun. A much cooler evening awaited Somdev Devvarman but there were to be no pleasant memories as Krajinovic blunted his challenge 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Both Bhambri and Lajovic were initially tentative. It seemed like a recce of sorts; for, much of the pre-match banter was dedicated to the high-bouncing surface and how it could all go awry if power and top spin were not happily married.
Lajovic found the right mix at the fag end of the first set; Bhambri didn’t throughout. He had 59 unforced errors.
“It's always tough playing in Bangalore,” said Bhambri after the defeat. “You might not be able to control your shots and I think that’s what happened today. I also feel I might have given him a bit too much respect.”
But Lajovic has much to like about his game. His is an elegant service motion and a neat one-handed backhand, nurtured on video clippings of Pete Sampras in full flow, and a second-serve — not as good as his idol’s — but still effective. He served five aces to Bhambri’s zero, three of them on second serves, and executed a few down-the-line backhands, including the one to go one set up.
It took eight set points for the World No. 61 to wrap up the first set. Once done, the second set was spent deepening his hold over the match. It fell 6-2. But it also led to Lajovic switching off early in the third as his opponent ran ahead 4-1. Bhambri then had a break point to stretch it to 5-1, but squandered it and let the 24-year-old back.
There was a particular moment at 4-4 in the third set on the Bhambri serve which was the match in a nut-shell. The ball popped up mid-court, waiting for an extravagant flourish from Lajovic.
But it was treated to a load of top spin, pulling it back just in time for it to kiss the inside of the tramline and drift away for the winner.
Lajovic played well within himself; not extravagant, but solid enough.
But Krajonovic made up for all the aggression that Lajovic didn’t show.
Equally adept at the net as well as the baseline, he took the first set in a scamper — 6-1.
While Devvarman did well to negate the bounce off the court, the balls instead sat up for Krajinovic to pick his spot and force through the winner. Also, his volleying left much to be desired.
Devvarman gave himself a chance in the second. He stayed with his opponent, and rallied well. A four-deuce game ended with him breaking for 2-1. Then a hold from 0-30 gave him a 3-1 lead. He went on to win the set 6-4 showing the kind of fight he is generally known for.
But it soon ended. After failing to open-up the third set even after forcing Krajinovic to a couple of tough holds early on, his confidence broke. What followed from then on was more academic.
“I didn’t feel like I was volleying well,” he said.
“So I stayed behind on baseline in the third and fourth sets. I knew Filip was a good player, but I wasn’t good enough. It was very frustrating because I set the points up well, created opportunities, but could not finish.”
The result gives Serbia the chance to close out the tie on Saturday. While Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic will be hoping for that, the Indian pair of Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna would want to do everything that can give Devvarman and Bhambri another chance to salvage it.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/serbs-surge-to-a-20-lead-on-day-one/article6406795.ece
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