Somdev bounces back to beat Yuki

NEW DELHI: Everything depends on holding serve. If you lose it, you hand the opponent a break which can shift the momentum.

For Somdev Devvar man, losing serve at 3-3 in the first set proved disastrous. “If I had managed to hold on, the first set would have been different. The match may have been different,” he rued. But no matter, it was determination and tenacity which helped the 30-year-old world No 153 overcome Yuki Bhambri’s challenge in three sets to successfully defend his Delhi Open crown on Sunday.

Bhambri began well. In fact, before Devvarman could understand what was happening, the world No 414 ran away with the first set 6-3. Up 2-0 in the second, Bhambri needed to maintain the momentum. That’s where Devvarman’s reputation of managing his way out of tough situations came in. The fifth seed held on, chased down every ball, forcing Bhambri to commit errors. Once he lost serve at 2-3, there was no holding back Devvarman.

The defending champion of the $100,000 ATP Challenger event steamrolled his way to victory, winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-0 as Bhambri’s game fell apart.

Andy Roddick once told him, “When big players manage to win when they are not playing well, it tells a lot about a player”. “I live by that,” said Devvarman. “I haven’t had a good season so far. It’s disappointing when results don’t come because I know how hard I’ve worked during the off season.”

He hopes the Delhi Open proves to be a turning point. He’s successfully defended his points from this tournament before heading to Kolkata for a Challenger and then to China.