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India is all ready to host Serbia in the 2014 Davis Cup World Group Play-offs match at Bengaluru. With or without Novak Djokovic in the team, Serbia are a strong force and India will have to pull out a rabbit out of the hat to beat the European opponents. Serbia are currently ranked 2nd in the world, whereas India lie at a distant 23rd spot. There is still a chance for India to win the tie if our players play to the best with the help of the home crowd. To get in the mood for the encounter, here is our list of the best five Davis Cup victories by India.
#1 India 3-2 Brazil
In the 2010 world group play-offs against Brazil, India had the worst possible starts. Rohan Bopanna lost the opening rubber to Bellucci in five sets. After a hard-fought match, the Indian was beaten by the score 7-6(2) 6-7(7) 5-7 6-4 8-10. There was to be further misery laid on the Indian team when Somdev Devvarman lost to Mello 6-4 2-6 7-6(3) 2-6 4-6, in a close five-setter.
The two results meant India were about to be knocked out by Brazil. But when needed most, the experienced pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi stepped up and pulled one back by winning their doubles match against Mela and Soares in straight sets. In the reverse singles, Bellucci retired his match due to injury in the second set to hand the win to Devvarman.
The tie went to the decided with Bopanna battling against Mello. Bopanna did not disappoint the home crowd as he took the match, 6-3 7-6(2) 6-3, in straight sets to give India a dramatic victory.
#2 India 3-2 Chile
The 1997 tie between India and Chile saw the very best on two of the greatest Indian tennis players: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. The duo were involved in all five rubbers of the tie to prove their dominance over Indian tennis.
Leander Paes started the tie with a convincing straight sets (6-3 6-2 6-2) win over Silberstein. Chile got the tie level as Marcelo Rios defeated Bhupathi 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second singles.
There was always going to just one winner in the doubles rubber. But the tie was not one-sided by any means. Paes and Bhupathi beat the pair of Massu and Rios 3-6, 6-3 6-4 6-7(3) 6-3 in a five-set thriller. In the reverse singles, Paes was beaten by Rios 7-6(5) 4-6 0-6 6-7(3) as the tie went to the deciding fifth rubber.
Bhupathi was the hero in the last encounter, as the Indian won a five-set match against Silberstein by the score 6-7(4) 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-3. Bhupathi came back from two sets down to give India a memorable victory.
#3 India 3-2 Pakistan
In any sport, the India vs Pakistan clash is always a mouth-watering one. The two sides faced each other in Asia/Oceania relegation play-off in 2006. Aisam Qureshi gave Pakistan the lead after a straight sets (7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4) victory over Rohan Bopanna. Prakash Amritjar levelled things up for India with a convincing victory over Khan. Amritjar won the tie 7-6(5) 7-6(1) 6-4 to give India the momentum, going into the doubles rubber.
Bhupathi and Paes then made light work of Khan and Shafikr. The Indian pair won 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 to give India a 2-1 lead. Qureshi won the next singles agaisnt Amritraj in four sets to make it 2-2.
The decider was one of the most entertaining and rollercoaster of a match in Davis Cup history. Leander Paes won the first two sets against Khan 6-4 and 7-6(4). Paes looked to be on track to win the tie for India but Khan was not giving up without a fight. Khan took the third set 6-3 and gave a bagel to Paes in the fourth by winning 6-0. The momentum had completely shifted in Pakistan’s favour. But amazingly, Paes shrugged off the sudden drop of form and won the last set 6-1 to win the tie for India.
#4 India 3-2 Netherlands
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were once against at the forefront in the 1996 tie against Netherlands. But things didn’t go as plan for the Indian team with Paes losing the first rubber 4-6 5-7 4-6 against Eltingh. Bhupathi won a marathon five-set match against Siemerink 6-4 7-6(4) 4-6 4-6 6-4 to make it 1-1 in the tie.
Paes and Bhupathi continued their doubles partnership but this time they could not produce the desired result. The Indian pair took the first set but lost the next three sets in a row to lose the match to Eltingh and Haarhuis in four sets.
With the pressure on India, Paes responded with a 7-6(2) 2-6 7-6(3) 7-6(5), four sets win over Siemerink, which included three tie-breaks. As luck would have it, Bhupathi won the final rubber after Eltingh retired after being two sets to one down.
#5 Kazhakstan 2-3 India
The 2007 Asia/Oceania relegation play-off between Kazhakstan and India was one of the most nail-biting ties of all time. In the opening rubber, Rohan Bopanna sent Makeyev packing in straight sets. The talented Indian won the tie 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 to give India the lead. Kazhakstan responded by winning the next singles. Kedryuk defeated Karan Rastogi 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) to level the overall score.
The doubles pair of Bopanna and Leander Paes regained the lead for India after a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 straight sets victory over Kedruyk and Makeyev. Kedryuk once again won his singles rubber against Bopanna to level the tie at 2-2. Kedryuk beat Bopanna 6-4 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-4 to give Kazhakstan the momentum.
In the final rubber, Paes stepped up on to take the initiative for India. The Indian star beat Makeyev 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to win the tie for India in Kazhakstan.
