Davis Cup: Ramkumar Ramanathan pips determined Ismailov to put India in front against Uzbekistan

The Davis Cup is a team-oriented tournament but it isn’t until the national anthems are sung that the patriotic fervour kicks in. And it is not just from the players who are eager and pumped up to start the contest, but also the gathered fans.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the on-site commentator announces the start of the rubber, by reminding the fans about the ‘partisan fan rule’ which states that the host team will be penalised in case of fans causing disruption to the matches.

The fans at the KSLTA stadium in Bengaluru, that’s hosting the ongoing Asia/Oceania Group I second-round tie between India and Uzbekistan, didn’t let their team be at the receiving end of this rule. Nor did they let up in their support to their team, starting with Ramkumar Ramanathan.

Grit and support

Ramanathan gave the Indian team a rousing win against Uzbekistan in the first singles rubber in the on Friday against Temur Ismailov, Ramanathan to win the rubber 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 in three hours and 14 minutes.

And, the 22-year-old’s intensity shone through, not only when he pelted winners at his opponent, but just as much when he shanked his shots. Every ‘c’mon’ he shouted was then bracing that no matter how long the match would last, Ramanathan was determined to show that there would be only winner on the day.

Capitalising on the crowd rallying behind him, every time that he found himself losing hard-won ground, he looked at the crowd, as if trying to ask them to keep up their side of the bargain, to keep backing him unwaveringly.

Applause did, however, turn into groans in the second set as Ramanathan committed seven double faults to allow Ismailov back into the match. But, they didn’t last long as the World No 406 started fading out of the match, seemingly battling cramps, as it progressed, into the third and fourth sets.

In his post-match press conference, however, Ismailov clarified that he had suffered a mid-match injury in his right thigh that left him unable to settle in the match thereafter. “It was due to injury, not cramps. I was not able to move freely,” he said, before quipping with a wry smile, “Because of that, it [the second set score] was 6-2.”

Ramanathan’s ‘Brain Fade’ moment?

“It’s tough to explain three double faults,” opened up Ramanathan addressing the media after the win. Elaborating, he went on, “I mean, it happens in a lot of long matches [and] I need to work on this. But, I think I gave my best [in the rubber]. I played for my country. I wanted to win.”

Considering that the matter of those few minutes when he committed those multiple break points, Ramanathan then did well to bring around the discussion to his overall game, and purposefulness in the rubber. As the player, who was unexpectedly thrust into taking charge of leading the team, after Yuki Bhambri’s withdrawal, Ramanathan more than lived up to the expectations.

Just as he ensured that there were no delays in the team’s bid to reach their fifth straight World Group Play-offs despite that they had started off as the delayed favourites in the first place.