Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi defeated Tsung-Hua Yang and Chu-Huan Yi by 6-4, 7-6, 6-7(2), 6-2 to give India a crucial 2-1 lead over Chinese Taipei at Asia-Oceania Group I Davis Cup tournament in Kaohsiung on Saturday (March 7). The Indian pair was playing comfortable tennis after winning the first two sets until the Taipei pair launched counter attack and won the third set.

 

In the third set, Paes-Bhupathi duo saved six points and took the set to tie-breaker. The Indians could have pocketed the set but both Paes and Bhupathi double faulted at crucial junctures to give the set to the Taipei pair. Seeing the aggression of the Yang-Yi pair, both Paes and Bhupathi reformed their moves and sealed the fourth set to win the match in three-and-a-half hours at Yang Ming tennis centre.

 

Among the Taipei players, Chu-Huan Yi was more aggressive in his moves and tactics. Although Chinese Taipei could not win the match on Saturday but both Yang and Yi gave tough competition to the multiple Grand slam winners. On Sunday, young Indian star Somdev Devvarman will play against Yen-Hsun Lu in the reverse single match of Davis Cup. The 59th ranked player in the world, Lu will give his best to level the tie at 2-2. As result, India will bank on doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna as he takes on Ti Chen.