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Nadal pulls out of opening singles tie due to stomach upset

It is an important tie for both of us and we are looking forward to come back to the World Group and it is the goal for both teams.

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Spain are still hot favourites to win the tie.

In a slight boost for India’s chances in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off against Spain, star visiting player Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the opening singles tie due to a stomach upset.

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, even after the crowd realised that Nadal had opted out.

Myneni hoped to put up an improved performance with Leander Paes in the doubles on Saturday to keep India alive in the tie.

Spain’s David Ferrer, who is ranked 13th, is scheduled to play the second singles match of the day against Saketh Myneni.

The six-foot-two-inch tall Ramkumar loves playing poker, but on Friday evening he displayed top class tennis that was exhilarating, intense and never-say-die in spirit. That’s Myneni, the man who invariably gives a thumbs-up to the ballkids who give him balls and his towel. The 28-year- old was expected to provide some resistance after he qualified for a Grand Slam main draw for the first time at the recently- concluded US Open. Lopez is no mean player, though, and shows it with a solid, steady and often elegant display of tennis. His body loses fluid very quickly, making him prone to cramps.

Ramkumar had promised a lot initially but has not been able to fulfil it. His trademark inside-out forehand is one of the best in the country but he needs to put together all aspects of the game to emerge victor.

The 43-year-old Paes with his neat serve and volley showed why he is known to be a unsafe doubles player. “We will try our best and we will try to handle the conditions and will try to be very competitive”, Nadal said. “We spoke last (Thursday) night about it and till then it was not decided that Rafa wouldn’t play”, Lopez added, “His wrist is getting better but he’s playing with pain”.

India is lucky to have Ramkumar playing tennis, for he would have become a cricketer otherwise.

Paes returned the compliments by praising Nadal and the Spanish team. They are in the Europe/Africa Group after losing the World Group first round to Germany in January 2014.

Nadal, sitting beside the court with his teammates, doffed his cap and a thunderous applause followed. This in a way takes pressure off them as nobody is expecting the miracles to happen. He nearly clinched a second break of serve in the seventh game as well before the Indian fought back to hold serve. Now, all those years later, Spain’s 2-1 win-loss record against India will have little bearing on the outcome of the tie.

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The first tie between the two nations was on a neutral venue i.e in Great Britain, where Spain beat India in the World Group Quarterfinal 4-1. It was reported that a stomach bug had kept the Spaniard away, an understandable reason for foreign players on any Indian tour.

Rafael Nadal Marc Lopez lead Spain back into Davis Cup World Group with win over India