Davis Cup, as it happened: Paes, Bopanna stunned in straight-sets by Czechs

Live updates of Paes-Bopanna vs Pavlasek-Stepanek 14:33: Having not played a single match together since their Davis Cup win against Serbia exactly an year back, Paes and Bopanna were all over the place and the lack of practice cost India. Czechs just need to win one of their reverse singles matches on Sunday to take the tie. 14:23: Stepanek holds serve and the favoured Indian pair are stunned by the Czechs 7-5 6-2 6-2 as India are down 2-1 in the tie. Relentless from Pavlasek and Stepanek to rout the higher-ranked Bopanna and Paes. 14:17: Unraveling quickly in Delhi as Paes is broken yet again as Czechs take a 5-2 lead in the third. The visitors will now serve for the match. 14:11 Two unbelievable unforced errors from Leander Paes at the net as India are now down a break in the third set. Paes and Bopanna are staring at a straight sets defeat in the crucial doubles tie. 13:58: Going on serve in the third set so far, as Paes-Bopanna take a 2-1 lead on the back of two good service games. 13:45: A big error from Leander Paes at the net gives the second set to Czech Republic. India down 5-7 6-2 and staring at a defeat in the crucial doubles tie. Can they repeat their feat from Bangalore last year against Serbia? 13:37: That relief didn’t last long as Paes is broken yet again. India down 5-2 as Stepanek looks to serve out the second set. 13:34: Pavlasek is broken in 2nd set, as India bring the deficit down to 4-2. Still a break down in the second. 13:28: Looks like Paes and Bopanna would have to do it the hard way. A slew of errors from Rohan Bopanna on his own serve gives the Czech pair a double-break in the second set. Pavlasek and Stepanek take a 4-1 lead. 13:19: Leander Paes is unable to hold serve again as Adam Pavlasek and Radek Stepanek break early in the second set. India down a set and break. 13:08: Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna lose topsy-turvy set 7-5 after 51 minutes of action. Day One Report (India level 1-1) India still not favourites against Czechs: Devvarman New Delhi: Despite his win in the singles match of the Davis Cup World Group tennis Playoff against World No.1 Czech Republic that squared the tie at 1-1, India’s Somdev Devvarman said on Friday that they are still the underdogs in the contest. India’s Yuki Bhambri lost the opening singles rubber to Lukas Rosol in straight sets but Devvarman fought back to beat World No.40 Jiri Vesely and level the contest at 1-1. [caption id=“attachment_2270352” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Leander Paes. PTI[/caption] “I won’t be surprised if they change the reverse singles line-up on Sunday. They have enough arsenal in their repertoire and all their four players are very good in singles. We are still the underdogs and still not favourites,” Devvarman, who has not lost in the national capital since 2010, said. The 30-year-old Devvarman took two hours and 44 minutes to beat Vesely, who is ranked 124 places above him. “It feels good that to beat a top-50 player because this year I lost to two players ranked outside 400. I sensed he was getting tired which I used to my advantage. He was trying to serve me out, trying more aces but I was engaging him in longer rallies,” said the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion. The 2010 Asian Games gold medallist also said the playing conditions were perfect for him and he used it to his full advantage. “The conditions were the deciding factor. It was humid but not as hot as it has been in the last few days. I always love playing here and in these conditions I took advantage of the slower court, a place where I have played so many times,” added Devvarman, who extended his Davis Cup win-loss record to 14-11. His opponent Vesely congratulated Devvarman but added that he played with an injured leg. “I was mentally fit but not physically. I was carrying a leg injury from the US Open. Somdev played very well. I don’t know what happened today. It could be that I was over prepared. I am the No.1 player of the squad and I have to take responsibility,” said the 22-year-old Vesely. “It wasn’t my day. I have to do a lot of work in two days to get ready for Sunday. The conditions can’t be an excuse for my defeat as it has been same for the last 2-3 days.” IANS