Davis Cup: Bopanna-Sharan win doubles tie 2-1 to haul India back into contention

In-form doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan rallied from one set down to beat Italians Matteo Berrettini and Simone Bolelli 2-1 and haul India back into contention in the Davis Cup World Group qualifier tie here on Saturday. After losing the first set 4-6, India won the next two 6-3, 6-4 in a game that lasted for one hour and 43 minutes.

India now trail Italy 1-2 after the visitors won two singles rubbers on the first day with top-ranked players Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan losing to Berretttini and Andreas Seppi in straight sets respectively. Italy non-playing captain Corrado Barazzutti had hinted on Friday that they would re-shuffle their doubles playing, removing No. 1 ranked player Marco Cecchinato for 22-year old Berrettini who played like a "veteran" against Prajnesh.

Barazzutti's ploy worked fine in the first set as the Italians broke the hosts in the ninth game after the first eight went to serves. Bolelli's massive forehand return forced Bopanna to take the ball on the half-volley and dump it into the net, following a wayward volley in the next point to give Italy the lead.

Stung by the reversal after dominating most parts of the opening set, the hosts fell to Berrettini who comfortably held his serve to win 6-4. Much like the first set, the first three games of the second went to serves. In the fourth game, the left-handed Sharan showed his class with a superb drop shot to earn the first break point.

The 29-year old Sharan continued to impress by staging a love-hold in the next game to extend India's lead to 4-1. Bolelli aped Sharan to make it 4-2 at love-game on serve before the Indians denied the 2015 Australian Open doubles winner on breakpoint to put the hosts 5-2 ahead.

Berrettini registered another love-game for the visitors in the eighth but it was too little too late as Sharan spectacularly saved three break points to bag the second set. The early break gave the Indians new-found confidence as they saved a total of four break points in a much-improved display.

In the decider, Bopanna used all his experience to help the Indians break Bolelli twice after Sharan failed to hold his serve in the fourth game. In the fifth game, Bopanna showed some good volley play while Sharan was backing him up at the net.

A clinical Bopanna forehand and a fine volley by Sharan gave the Indians two break points. Bopanna fired in a deep return that proved too much for Bolelli as he hit the net to concede the set.

All fired up with the packed crowd on their feet, India cruised to 0-30 in the ninth game with Bolelli conceding the second point by a double-fault as they broke them again. Serving for the set and match, Bopanna and Sharan once again complemented well to keep their hopes intact.

"It was like going to office for me. I have been in this situations many times since 2002," Bopanna said. Making a comeback in the Davis Cup, an elated Sharan said: "Having Rohan and Mahesh by my side helped. The atmosphere around me was comfortable. I tried to keep it simple.

Sharan last played in 2012 in a Group I semifinal tie against New Zealand.

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