INDIA WIN DOUBLES VS CROATIA IN QUALIFIERS

ZAGREB: India conceded a 0-2 lead to host Croatia after Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran faced defeats on the opening day of the Davis Cup World Group qualifier tie.

The Croatians — former US Open champion Marin Cilic and debutant Borna Gojo — were made to work hard by a spirited India team on Friday.

First, it was Gojo who defeated Prajnesh 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 to put Croatia at 1-0. Gojo forced Gunneswaran into submission after overcoming early jitters in his first Davis Cup appearance which lasted almost two hours.

Gojo broke in the opening game of the second set and held throughout to redress the balance, with Prajnesh failing to cope with the Croatian’s thundering serve and stinging baseline shots.

Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes beat Mate Pavic and Franko Skugor 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 in the doubles rubber on Saturday, making the scoreline 1-2.

FIST BUMPS REPLACE HANDSHAKES

PARIS: Davis Cup qualifying started under the shadow of coronavirus with fist bumps instead of handshakes, ball boys and girls keeping their distance from sweat-stained towels and two ties even played out in empty arenas.

With matches taking place from Australia to Japan to Europe and in South America and Hawaii, 12 teams are bidding to join defending champs Spain, 2019 runners-up Canada, semi-finalists Great Britain and Russia, and wildcards France and Serbia in November finals.

Two of Friday’s encounters had to be staged behind closed doors with spectators banned in Miki, where Japan are hosting Ecuador, and Cagliari as Italy faced South Korea.