INDIA IN DAVIS CUP

M.K. Dharma Raja*

---

India’s latest win over New Zealand in the 3-day Davis Cup tie in Kolkatta marks a significant milestone in its ascendancy in international tennis. This triumph in the suspense-filled five-match series has once again taken India into the elite circle of sixteen nations qualifying for the World Group competition. In the international tennis almanac the Davis Cup is a tournament with a difference. Unlike the other championships it is played between nations and not between individual players. And for nearly four decades the Indian flag has been flying high in the Davis Cup ties.

The Asia-Oceania Group I tie between India and New Zealand staged at Kolkatta South Club represented the second round of the zonal competition. India had prevailed over Japan in the first while New Zealand had similarly won against Pakistan. For India, the Kokatta series was a repeat performance of last year’s group tie when the host, New Zealand, was beaten 4 matches to 1 at Wellington.

The second match between India’s Rohan Bopanna and the New Zealander Alistair Hunt was a marathon ding-dong duel that went into 3 hours and 10 minutes. The 23-year Bopanna playing his fourth match was pitted against the 30-year professional coach Alistair Hunt. Bopanna playing brilliantly won the first two sets, 6-4, 6-4. But thereafter Hunt came back into the game with a score even at 6-3, 6-2. The fifth set of 16 game saw Bopanna going down fighting at 9-7.

The world’s No.1 doubles pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathy combined marvellously beating their opponents Alistair Hunt and Mark Neilsen in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. It was doubles tennis at its best with Paes and Bhupathy catching their opponents on wrong feet with amazing cross-court volleys and down-the line passes. As usual in his Davis Cup appearances, Leander gave a display of astounding panther-like movements on the court. He was seen coming up with something extra in critical situation.

Rohan Bopanna was next seen in action in the first reverse singles played against James Shortall of New Zealand. Bopanna this time gave no quarter to his opponent. He won the match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. This win clinched the series for India with the unbeatable lead of three matches as against New Zealand’s win in a lone singles.

In view of India’s clear win in the tie, the match referee decided to reduce the fifth match from five to three sets with Leander Paes facing Robert Cheyne. This final encounter saw Paes sweeping Cheyne almost off his feet. The score read 6-1, 6-0 in India’s favour when the curtain came down on the India- New Zealand Oceania Group I tie of the Davis Cup tournament.

India’s tryst with the Davis Cup tournament began with Sumant Mishra and Jimmay Mehta as a doubles pair who performed creditably, particularly in the circuit. The mantle then fell on the Naresh Kumar and Ramanathan Krishnan duo proving their clear supremacy in the zonal rivals. Then followed the Amritraj brothers, Vijay and Anand, who glittered in the international arena as the best doubles pair.

Even before the Amritraj brothers had taken over the Indian challenge, the Krishnan and Mukherjee team prevailed over Brazil in 1966 in the inter-zone final before losing in the Challenge round. Krishnan and Mukherjee raised the country’s prestige by beating the Australians Newcombe and Roche. In the six years between 1962 and 1968 India figured in four international finals. Krishnan was the main architect of India’s entry into the Davis Cup Challenge round after trouncing the formidable Brazil and West Germany as it then was.

Over the years India has been maintaining its position as one of the top nations in the Davis Cup ties. India’s brightest hour came in 1974 when the coveted Davis Cup Crown was within India’s reach. But the country maintained its dignified stand of declining to have any truck with South Africa then languishing under the racist colonial rule.

Ramesh Krishnan came into the tennis arena together with the Amritraj brothers, Sashi Menon and Gaurav Mishra in 1981 when India maintained its winning form in the Davis Cup ties. India has had to contend with strong challenges in the ultimate rounds from the top nations in the game like Australia and New Zealand.

India’s champion Leander Paes who has been playing for the country for the past 15 years has won several laurels in the Davis Cup competition. He has been a giant-killer surprising every one with inspired performance. The Davis Cup, he says, always brought out something extra since it evokes the special fervour of playing for one’s country.

It was this spirit that inspired India’s squad while hoisting the country into the elite qualifying play-off in the World Group.

Quite a number of women-stars from India have illumined the tennis courts. In the pre-Independence period, there was Jenny Sandison hailed as the undisputed Queen of Indian Tennis who went on toe rattle to be an ultimate champion at Wimbledon. Leila Rao along with the stylist Kusum Mehta and Khanum Haji followed her. They put in commendable performances in the international circuit. Nirupama Vasant, daughter of the former Davis Cup player, G. Vasant, dominated women’s tennis for about fifteen years. Nirupama of distinguished sports lineage, wife of former cricket Test player Ashok Mankad and mother of Harsh Mankad, now a member of India’s Davis Cup team, was All-Asia Champion for a number of years. She was followed by Kiran Peshwaria (nee Bedi) who won the Asia Crown in 1972.

India’s first entry into international tennis was in the year 1920 through Sleem and Deane. They managed to beat France 4-1 in Paris. But in the next round India lost to Japan. Aming the others who made a good impression in the Davis Cup competition were S.M. Hadi, E.V. Bobb, P.L. Mehta, Brooke Edwards and C. Ramaswamy. They were among the pioneers of Indian tennis.

Ghaus Mohammed, Sumant Mishra, Iftikhar Ahmed, Dilip Bose and Jimmy Mehta distinguished themselves in the international circuit including the Wimbledon Championship. Yudhister Singh, S.L.R. Sahney, Y.R. Savoor and Narendranath played both at Wimbledon and in the Davis Cup tournament. Ghaus Mohammed became the first Indian to reach the quarter-final stage at Wimbledon.

Suman Mishra and Jimmy Mehta, Ramanathan Krishnan and Naresh Kumar were formidable doubles players. Subsequently Krishnan and Jaideep Mukherjee, Krishnan and Premjit Lal and Mukherjee and the Amrithraj brothers-Vijay and Anand-proved to be among the best doubles pairs. The baton was then taken up by Ramesh Krishnan with Vijay Amrithraj. Leander Paes came along next to partner Ramesh Bhupathy into the arena thereafter to combine with Leander as a top-class pair.

Both Ramanthan Krishnan and Vijay Amrithraj who adorn the famed Players’ Gallery at Wimbledon were world class players. Ramanathan Krishnan reached the Wimbledon semi-finals twice. He won the American Hard Court Tournament titles in both the singles and doubles. Both Krishnan and son Ramesh had the distinction of winning the Wimbledon Juniors titles.

After Ramanathan Krishnan it was Vijay Amrithraj who at one time or the other had defeated almost all the super stars of international tennis. He reached the Wimbledon quarter finals twice. At one stage while he was on a gallop, Amrithraj with Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors were considered as the ABC of tennis. He triumphed against Jimmy Connors in claiming the Caroline International Crown. At the peak of his playing career Vijay won a series of Grand Prix rites in India. (PIB Features)

*Senior Sports Writer