08-Mar-2009 127
Somdev Devvarman thrashed world No 59 Lu Yen-Hsun 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in the first reverse singles to help India register a 3-2 win over Chinese Taipei and advance to the third and final round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group-I competition at Yang-Ming Tennis Center, Kaohsiung to day.
In the inconsequential second reverse singles, India’s Rohan Boponna lost 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5) to Tsung-Hua Yang.
India will now play Australia, who beat Taiwan 3-2 in their second round clash. The winner of this tie, to be held in India, will go into the World Group play-offs.
It has been more than a decade since India played in the World Group. The last time it figured in the elite group was in 1998. India had lost 1-4 to Romania in the play-offs last year to get back to the Asia/ Oceania Group I.
Earlier in the crucial doubles rubber yesterday, India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes defeated Tsung-Hua Yang and Chu-Huan Yi 6-4 7-6 (0), 6-7(2), 6-2 to give their team a 2-1 lead.
Bhupathi-Paes have now won 23 Davis Cup doubles rubber in a row, extending their record streak, and Paes has now won 36 doubles rubbers (second only to Nicola Pietrangeli, who won 42, in Davis Cup history)
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