India on backfoot after doubles loss

Edmonton, Sept. 17: India’s World Group hopes suffered a huge setback as Rohan Bopanna and Purav Raja lost the crucial doubles rubber to hand Canada a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup Play-off tie, here on Saturday.

Bopanna and Raja lost 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 3-6 to seasoned Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in two hours and 52 minutes to leave India with the difficult task of winning both the reverse singles to qualify for the elite 16-nation World Group.

Pospisil, 27, was the youngest on the court and the only one who plays the singles as well on the Tour. He made a huge difference to the outcome with his returns from near the baseline and perfect placements at the net.

Pospisil, not nominated for the singles by his captain, troubled both the Indians consistently and carried the home team on his shoulders as 45-year-old Nestor came under pressure several times.

Raja, who has made good progress on the circuit along with Divij Sharan, was superb at the net with his deft volley winners but limitations with his serve and baseline strokes hurt India badly.

Raja dropped his serve five times in the match — twice while serving under pressure at 5-6 in the first two sets.

Bopanna’s big serving game was also missing on Sunday as he served five double faults in team’s total of 12. His single- handed backhand winners were nowhere to be seen. Bopanna though managed to hold serve under pressure, even when faced with a match point in the 10th game of the third set.

France into final, Oz-Belgium tied 2-2

Back with the France Davis Cup team, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga clinched a semifinal victory against Serbia by defeating Dusan Lajovic 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Sunday. France reached an unassailable 3-1 lead and will face either Belgium or 28-time champion Australia in the final.

Belgium and Australia were level at 2-2 in Brussels after David Goffin rallied past Nick Kyrgios 6-7 (4), 64, 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies