YUKI IN DAVIS CUP OPENER
PLAYS CZECH REPUBLIC’S ROSOL TODAY
NEW DELHI: Leander Paes was dressed in white to combat the heat and humidity. Arriving for a late practice session at the DLTA complex, the 42-year-old kept himself hydrated as he practiced return of serves with the two reserves named for this Davis Cup tie. It was as much about practice as it was about giving tips to the two. “See how that serve came,” he asked Ramanathan Ramkumar, who nodded in agreement. As Saketh Myneni served, Paes kept placing the balls strategically on court under the watchful eyes of coach Zeeshan Ali.
“It is extremely beneficial to be part of the Davis Cup team,” Ramkumar smiled. The lanky 20-year-old is into his second stint as a reserve and is relishing it. “You get to train with people like Paes, Rohan (Bopanna), Som (Devvarman), Yuki (Bhambri) for a week. They give you pointers, you learn from them. It’s not everyday that they are there helping you out,” said the world No 218.
With Paes opting to play against the Czech Republic, Myneni will have to sit out, going out of the playing four. “Do you see me sitting out?” he laughed. “I’m here, there, practicing, doing pretty much everything possible for the team. I enjoy this team feeling because rest of the year you’re on your own,” explained the player with experience of having been part of three Cup campaigns. SUPPORT SYSTEM “The support I got from Paes and Bopanna at the US Open (where he lost in the qualifying) was amazing really,” Myneni added. Ramkumar, too, agreed. “I was facing difficulties in finding a doubles partner for a few Challengers. Rohan knew some people and put me in touch which helped me tremendously.”
In any Davis Cup tie, all eyes stay focused on the main four. How they played, how they deployed tactics to wear down opponents, the extent of the external conditions all get the most attention. And after two or three days if it results in victory, fans celebrate that moment with gusto, patriotism coming to the fore. In all that celebration, fans tend to forget the contribution of the reserves that stay ready in case they are called up at the last moment. But that is not important to these two.
“This week is all about the team. Our role is whatever it takes for us to do. Be it practicing with the players, helping them warm up and motivating them or pushing them to do their best on court in this important tie,” Ramkumar said as he patiently waited for Paes to finish media commitments so they could head for practice. “A win is after all a win for all of us.”