Davis Cup: Nagal wins to level Morocco tie 1-all
Sasikumar Mukund started brightly but was forced to retire due to cramp before victory in the second singles helped India level the tie on Day 1
Favourites India got off to a shaky start before sharing the honours against Morocco on the first day of their World Group II Davis Cup tie at the Vijayant Khand Stadium here on Saturday.
Debutant Sasikumar Mukund limped out in the opening singles against Yassine Dlimi, giving the visitors the early advantage.
However, India No.1 Sumit Nagal helped level the tie by winning the second singles in straight sets against Adam Moundir. A downpour before the start of the tie made things difficult for the players due to high humidity.
In decent form after a runner-up finish at the ATP Tuliln Challenger last week, Nagal, the world No.156, Nagal, 26, was right on target, breaking Moundir, ranked 779, in the opening game itself before running out a 6-3, 6-3 winner.
The 26-year-old twice broke Moundir in the first set. He broke the Moroccan’s serve in the fifth game only to drop his serve in the next game, leaving the score 3-all. Nagal though broke again in the eighth game to wrap up the set. In the second, Nagal dominated Moundir with solid court coverage and played good defensive tennis too, winning the match in a little over an hour before a sizeable crowd.
Things didn’t go to plan for India to start with. Mukund ran out of gas, suffering cramp in the third set. The 365th-ranked Indian started limping and it allowed Dlimi to notch up back-to-back breaks. But Mukund was forced to retire with the scores reading 7-6 (4), 5-7, 1-4, after taking a medical timeout at 1-2 in the third set. He was almost unable to move on the court after playing for over three hours.
He started with a double fault in the opening game. Mukund, who is 192 places above Dlimi pushed his rival on his backfoot with powerful backhand returns, taking the first tie-break.
Dlimi rallied in the second, pushing Mukund back. He was solid at the nets with fine drop shots. From five-all, the Moroccan raced to win the next two games to level the scores.
The 1-1 score at the end of Day One has made things interesting as well as a bit difficult for India. Mukund will be required to play the second reverse singles if the hosts don’t win their doubles as well as the first reverse singles on Sunday.
Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri are due to meet Elliot Benchetrit and Younes Lalami Laaroussi in the doubles rubber before Nagal meets Dlimi and Mukund takes on Moundir.
RESULTS
Yassine Dlimi (Mor) bt Sasikumar Mukund (Ind) 6-7 (4), 7-5, 4-1 (retd); Sumit Nagal (Ind) bt Adam Moundir (Mor) 6-3, 6-3.
