Delhi ran away with a handsome eight-point lead after the end of four matches, leading 21-13, but world number 17 Tommy Robredo kept the hosts waiting after pulling off a stupendous 6-5 (5-3) win over Kevin Anderson in the men’s singles.
Delhi had a seven-point lead but since Mumbai won the last match, they earned the chance to nullify the advantage.
Robredo had to win seven games on the trot and Anderson needed to win just one more in the super overtime to close it in his team’s favour and the South African did that in the very first game.
The two top-20 players played with a lot of energy from the baseline, matching each other stroke for stroke. Robredo turned it around after trailing 0-2 as he reeled off four straight games to take a 4-2 lead.
His ferocious forehands was a treat to watch and it was clear that the players were not playing an ‘exhibition’ match.
French woman Alize Cornet pulled one back for the Mumbai Tennis Masters with a spirited victory over Jelena Jankovic after Delhi took a 2-1 lead.
The Mumbai team was trailing by 8 games after losing the legends singles and mixed doubles but Cornet kept her side’s hopes alive with a hard-fought 6-3 win over the Serbian.
However, Delhi continued the good work with Sanam Singh and Kevin Anderson recording a 6-3 win over Robredo and N Sriram Balaji.
At the start, Juan Carlos Ferrero yet again provided a great start to Delhi dreams with a convincing 6-2 win over Sergi Bruguera. In the contest between the two clay-court masters of the past, it was the younger legend Ferraro, who called the shots.
He put his side ahead with his tremendous ground strokes, still looking sharp after two years of retirement.