Nadal had been due to play Ramkumar Ramanathan as the five-times champions seek promotion back to the World Group.
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Nadal has pulled out of the first match against Ram Kumar Ramanathan of India in the opening singles on day one of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off against Spain, starting in New Delhi on Friday. Former Davis Cup power Australia also has ambitions of returning to its glory days and will keep their place in the World Group after defeating Slovakia 3-0 in Sydney.
The Indian team was up by a set and a break but the Spaniards worked their way back aided by some game-changing errors by Myneni.
“Marc Lopez played four intense sets yesterday”.
“This time I have to open the tie”.
The last time India and Spain competed against each other was in 1965 when Spain beat India 3-2 in a home tie. He nearly clinched a second break of serve in the seventh game as well before the Indian fought back to hold serve.
Marc had his serve tested in the first set as both Paes and Saketh went after one-half of the French Open champions but he improved as the match progressed to hold with considerable ease at moments.
Later, Rafa taking the charge played some aggressive shots which took the Indians by surprise and helped Spain win the set 6-4.
After the match, Myneni said, “Playing with three outstanding players, it was going to be tough”.
Myneni served out the set with Paes hitting another backhand volley victor.
Lopez, who had won Rio Olympic gold medal in men’s doubles with Nadal, felt the key to their success was the trust and friendship between them. Spain took the set in the tiebreak and further applied the pressure to take an early break in the third to take the set.
Nadal and Lopez threatened to take another break of serve in the next game, forcing Paes to break point. India stretched the lead to 4-1 even as Marc Lopez showcased exceptional sportsmanship to point out that the linesman had wrongly called a ball out in Spain’s favour. He earned another break off the next serve and held on to the advantage to pocket the set.
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Nadal, who missed the first day play with fitness problems, was the showstopper of the night with the full house crowd cheering him on. It became 5-0 without much sweat after David Ferrer brushed aside Ramkumar Ramanathan. India though lost the edge with Myneni dropping serve in the seventh game, the longest of the match as he served two double faults. Nadal was broken at love straightaway when he double faulted on break point and the Indians had surged ahead 4-1 with a fifth set in horizon.
