World No 10 Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni suffered a shock straight set mauling at the hands of Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell as India were left trailing 1-2 against New Zealand in the Asia/Oceania Davis Cup Group I tie, here on Saturday
Saketh Myneni and Rohan Bopanna. Pics/AFP,Getty Images
Christchurch: World No 10 Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni suffered a shock straight set mauling at the hands of Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell as India were left trailing 1-2 against New Zealand in the Asia/Oceania Davis Cup Group I tie, here on Saturday.
Saketh Myneni and Rohan Bopanna. Pics/AFP,Getty Images
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Bopanna, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in doubles, and Myneni lost the crucial doubles rubber 3-6, 6-7(1), 3-6 even as the hosts continued to surprise the Indians.
The last time an Indian team lost the doubles rubber in Davis Cup was in April 2012 when Bopanna and Leander Paes went down to Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin and Murad Inoyatov.
It is also the first defeat for Bopanna and Myneni as a team in Davis Cup as they had won their matches against Korea and Chinese Taipei.
Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri will now have to win both the reverse singles today if India are to advance to the World Group play-offs.
Somdev faces Jose Statham and if he loses, India will have to fight it out with China to stay in Group I.
Yuki is set to clash with Michael Venus, with whom he had qualified for the Australian Open men's doubles last year.