New Delhi: India’s Leander Paes and Purav Raja won the doubles rubber 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-2 against Lim Young-Kyu and Nam Ji of South Korea to keep the host’s hopes alive in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania group ‘I’ match at the R.K. Khanna Stadium here on Saturday.
However Korea leads 2-1 in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie and with two inexperienced players – Vijender Malik and VM Ranjeet – playing the reverse singles on Sunday, it would be a tough ask for the Indians to win the tie.
After losing both the singles on Friday, veteran Leander Paes combined well with debutant Purav Raja to win the do-or-die doubles rubber against South Korea on Saturday. Playing together for the first time, Paes and Raja got the better of Yong-Kyu Lim and Ji Sung Nam 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-2 in a hard-fought contest that went on for two hours and 30 minutes.
"Winning a Davis Cup tie still excites me," said 39-year-old Paes, who made his debut in the tournament in 1990. "And nothing better than winning in front of your home crowd. Hopefully we can turn the reverse singles our way," he added.
Now Ranjeet will take on Cho while Malik, who conceded his singles against Jeong after a valiant fight, will clash with Jeong.
By Indian Sports News Network