Despite Nagal’s fight, India lose to Denmark

MUMBAI: That Holger Rune, the world’s No 9 singles player, turned up for Denmark’s doubles tie against India in the Davis Cup on Saturday afternoon was a consequence of Sumit Nagal’s rubber-equalising singles victory on Friday night.

India though could not carry the momentum into the second day as they lost 3-2 to the hosts in their World Group I play-off tie in Hillerod, Denmark to get relegated to Group II. Nagal, ranked 506th, was fielded over the other higher-ranked singles players in the squad for the indoor hard courts and the 25-year-old justified captain Rohit Rajpal’s decision.

He made it 1-1 for India with a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 over August Holmgren in the second singles tie on Friday and had set points against Rune in his 7-5, 6-3 defeat in Saturday’s first reverse singles tie. By then, though, with the scratch doubles combo of Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri going down to Rune and Johannes Ingildsen 6-2, 6-4, India’s fate had been all but sealed.

India, who had beaten a Runeless Denmark in New Delhi last year, made their teenaged star put in an additional shift at home. After wresting the control back in his team’s favour with the doubles win—Rune replaced Christian Sigsgaard for it—the world No 9 was stretched by Nagal, especially in the first set.

The Indian wiped off his early break and consistently put the Rune serve under pressure. Breaking Rune again in the ninth game, Nagal had two set points at 5-4 but Rune saved them and made it 5-5. The errors then mounted from Nagal as Rune swung the momentum and took the set with a volley winner at the net. After getting broken in the sixth game of second set, there was no way back for Nagal, and India, in the tie.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran then beat Elmer Moeller 6-4, 7-6(1).