Yuki Bhambri rescued India with an impressive win following Somdev Devvarman's shock defeat, leaving the visitors locked 1-1 with New Zealand on day one of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I tie, in Christchurch on Friday.
India's World Group hopes suffered a huge setback as Rohan Bopanna and Purav Raja lost the crucial doubles rubber to hand Canada a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup Play-off tie, in Edmonton, on Sunday.
A second-string Netherlands beat Wales 2-1 away after a dramatic late finale in the Nations League at Cardiff on Wednesday
India took an unassailable 3-0 lead against Uzbekistan by winning the doubles event in the second round of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Tennis tournament.
The captain may be loathe to the idea, but the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association defended the decision to slot the Davis Cup tie against Spain in the evening, saying the aim is to make the event more accessible to tennis fans and save Indian players from cramping.
England outplayed Pakistan by 114 runs in a dead rubber of the Women's T20 World Cup
Serbia carved out a 2-0 lead over rivals Croatia while Britain led the US by the same score and holders Switzerland were tied with Belgium in the Davis Cup.
The pain of not living up to the favourites tag in the previous ties still rankles the Spanish Davis Cup team as Rafael Nadal said "special things" can happen for lower-ranked Indian players in the World Group play-off tie.
Somdev Devvarman routed world number 59 Yen-Hsun Lu 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 to steer India to the third round of the Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup competition as the stunning victory gave the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead against Chinese Taipei in Kaohsiung on Sunday. India will now play the winners of the other second round tie between Australia and Thailand in May to qualify for the World Group play-offs.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Unheralded British youngster Kyle Edmund faces a Davis Cup baptism of fire when he makes his debut in the final on Friday against Belgium's David Goffin in the opening rubber.
The first half of Monday's World Cup Group A match between Senegal and the Netherlands ended 0-0 at Al Thumama Stadium as the Dutch were left to rue missed chances.
Ramkumar Ramanathan fetched the crucial win but Yuki Bhambri made the day memorable even in defeat as India and Canada shared the honours on day one of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie, in Edmonton.
Japan clinched the tie 3-2 after Gouichi Motomura beat Leander Paes in the deciding rubber of the Asia-Oceania zone Group One second round tie.
India's tennis player Yuki Bhambri was handed a tough draw at the Australian Open when he found himself pitted against World No. 6 Tomas Berdych in the opening round of the men's singles event.
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi took India to the World Group play-offs as they won the doubles encounter against Japan and clinch the Asia Oceania round II tie 3-0 in New Delhi on Saturday. India's top singles players Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj had come through tough five-setters on Friday.
Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka secured Switzerland a place in the 2009 World Group with a 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-3 victory over Belgium's Olivier Rochus and Xavier Malisse.
Rohan Bopanna was axed from the Davis Cup side since he pulled out of the Spain tie feigning injury, the All Indian Tennis Association sources claimed on Tuesday.
Holders France got their World Cup qualifying campaign off to a disappointing start with a 1-1 draw at home to Ukraine
Kyrgios, who opted out of Australia's Davis Cup team this year, later posted a video on Instagram where he was seen out in the sunshine at a harbour with the caption 'Beautiful day'.
Leander Paes' hopes of creating a world record in Davis Cup were dashed when the veteran Indian and Vishnu Vardhan lost the third rubber to strong rivals Artem Sitak and Michael Venus, who kept the New Zealand alive in the Asia-Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie.
Amazon Prime Video has announced 69 assorted Web series and movies, and the slate sure looks interesting.
India's Davis Cup captain said there is no dearth of talent in the country and the immediate task is to mould the fresh crop into strong singles players.
Quaison fires Sweden to extra-time World Cup playoff win over Czechs
Indian ace Leander Paes is one of the biggest stars in doubles and one of the best players in the history of tennis, said fourteen-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, who led Spain to the Davis Cup World Group by winning the doubles match in New Delhi on Saturday night.
A statement from the French Tennis Federation on Thursday confirmed the U-turn by the 39-year-old who had been named in June to become the first woman to captain the French team.
Andreas Seppi experienced some early hiccups before getting past Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 6-2 in the opening rubber, while 22-year-old Matteo Berrettini made a winning Davis Cup debut, cruising past India number one Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-3.
The lobby objected to the Indian mining giant's $16.5 bn Carmichael project.
Businesspersons who have the potential to contribute to the economy of a country are given a red carpet welcome by way of a start-up visa.
'I don't think you can fault us for not trying. We kept giving our best shot because we know how special a relationship it is for not just us but the country as well'
Warner played some audacious strokes batting both left and right-handed.
But after English FA's intervention, the Bundesliga giants have now allowed the 17-year-old to feature in Steve Cooper's side only for the group stages.
Marat Safin and Mikhail won the doubles to give Russia a 3-0 lead in their Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.
Ramkumar Ramanthan scored a fluent win after Yuki Bhambri eked out a straight set victory to hand India a commanding 2-0 lead against New Zealand on the opening day of the Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie, in Pune, on Friday.
Wales will just want to land a blow on their old rivals, snap a run of six consecutive defeats against them and claim a first win over England since 1984.
Coritiba forward Joel Tagueu's goal celebration went spectacularly wrong when he jumped over an advertising hoarding and disappeared into a hole during a Brazilian championship match.
Veteran tennis star Leander Paes has said unity in the Indian Davis Cup team was improving, and the camaraderie among players will be better when they will face tougher challengers in the 2014 Davis Cup campaign.
Pankaj Advani lost his opening outing to defending champion Peter Gilchrist but later recovered and scored two straight victories in World Billiards Championship, in Leeds, on Tuesday.
Tennis must avoid "internal battles" if its growth is to keep pace with other sports, Roger Federer said on Monday in response to news that the ATP was to launch a revamped World Team Cup.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances