AGENCY
Chandigarh: Youngster Ramkumar Ramanathan made a winning Davis Cup debut with a hard-fought victory over Seong Chan Hong in the opening singles as India took a 1-0 lead in the Asia/Oceania Group-I tie, here today.
After battling for two hours and 36 minutes, the 21-year-old Ramkumar, ranked 217 in ATP singles list, was serving for the match when Hong suffered a thigh injury and conceded the match.
Ramkumar was leading 6-3 2-6 6-3 6-5 (15-15) when Hong suddenly clenched his right thigh, grimacing in pain. It brought a sudden end to the match, taking a bit of sheen out of Ramkumar’s victory at the Chandigarh Club. The hot and humid conditions coupled with a tough surface took a toll on the Korean. Saketh Myneni will now play against Yong-Kyu Lim in the second singles. The persistent showers that lashed the city, also affected the grass courts as it was a bit soggy from the outset.
It was a dry but dead at the centre court where the ball hardly rose above knee level. It prevented the match from rising to a quality level.
There was no pace at all and mere keeping the ball in the court was a struggle for the players. (PTI)
