Rain, rain go away, India’s out to play
DAVIS CUP Sweltering heat and a game plan that looks towards wearing down the opponent will hold key for hosts
NEW DELHI: The fate of this tie rests in the hands of the Gods. Yes, quite literally.
It’s muggy, humid and hot in Delhi. One wonders just how a stadium designed and rebuilt as recently as 2010 can have the cauldron-like stuffiness that this one does. By the courtside, with no hint of a ventilating breeze wafting through, it’s stifling. One sweats just sitting there.
These conditions are ideal for the Indian team in this World Group play-off tie against the Czech Republic. Whoever wins this tie will progress to the select bunch of 16 nations that have a shot at winning the Davis Cup. It’s like a qualifier for the big boys club.
SWEATING IT OUT
For India to prevail against the much higher ranked and more accomplished team from Europe, the hinge must be greased by the foreigners sweat. Indian heat, coupled with the dare devilry of our past singles proponents, has unhinged many a tennis great in Davis Cup. Rankings, after all, have proved to be mere numbers that are diminished in the heat of the pressure cooker environment that playing for the country entails.
But for India’s chances to blossom, the Gods must be benevolent. The sun did not glare as fierce on Thursday. Friday’s weather forecast suggests the possibility of showers. If that happens, India’s chances too get watered down. Not to take anything away from our singles players, but the fact is that while Yuki Bhambri has done well in recent Challengers, Somdev Devvarman has been struggling for form. Meanwhile, both the Czech singles players are regulars at higher Tour events. They also have the team’s history and experience of two recent Davis Cup titles – 2012 and 2013 – to bolster their resolve.
THE COLOUR FACTOR
The court has been given a fresh top layer of colour just about a month ago. That means it holds the ball a wee bit longer and slows it down. The bounce is high. These conditions are meant to tame the big-serving Czechs while also blunting the penetration of their ground- strokes. Given the slugger that he is, Devvarman should benefit. Bhambri, on the other hand, likes to finish off points quicker. But he may well have to stick to a game plan that looks towards wearing down the man across the net. After all, the tie stretches over three days and comprises five best-of-five sets matches.
HOME SUPPORT
Rain or no rain, the hard fact stays that Davis Cup is all about nerves. Our most accomplished player in the format — Leander Paes — often fed off home crowd support to lift himself to a level far beyond what he could tap when playing singles for himself on the Tour. In the past, both Devvarman and Bhambri have shown the necessary resolve to up the ante when the pride of the nation is at stake. Then, captain Anand Amritraj has created an atmosphere of ease wherein the team is bonding well and the vibe is positive. These are heartening signs that may well herald a potential miracle.
BOTTOMS UP
Meanwhile, the most essential preparation for the teams has to be hitting the bottle hard. Not just one, at that. Pre-hydration spells drinking fluids till the cells are so saturated that taking another sip seems like trying to ingest prickly cacti. During changeovers, cold towels and biggie umbrellas to shade away the sun will be the norm.
Whichever way the first day swings, there will be a lot to watch out for. This correspondent is especially keen to see the new steel in Bhambri’s game. The man from Delhi has filled out a bit and if that muscle supplements his keen tennis mind, he can light up this tie for India. Surely Devvarman, who has always done well in a team atmosphere as exemplified by his stupendous performance in American collegiate tennis, must be chafing at the bit that has stunted his form.
It has been reliably learnt that the Indian team has commissioned a yajana to appease the rain God Indra. This particular ritual asks him to chill in heaven and not pour down. But kidding aside, India’s chances not only depend on the prowess of our players’ racquets but also on whether the heavens want to create a racket.