Tennis: Rohan Bopanna reaches the main draw

Rohan Bopanna has reached the main draw in the Tashkent ATP Challenger. He defeated Germany;s Michael Kohlmann in 3 sets 6-3, 6-7(7-3), 6-3.

Paes and Dlouhy in Japan Open quarters

According to PTI, Top seed Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy began their campaign for back-to-back titles with a straight-set win against Spanish pair of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Ivan Navarro in the first round of the USD 869,000 Japan Open, today.
The Indo-Czech pair, who won the Thailand Open last week, beat the unseeded Spanish duo 6-4 7-5 in one hour and 13 minutes to advance to the quarterfinals of the hard court event.

However, it was curtains for Rohan Bopanna and his American partner Eric Butorac, who put up a valiant fight against the second seeded pair of Simon Aspelin and Julian Knowle but eventually lost 7-6 (4) 6-7 (4) 4-10 to bow out of the event.

While this might sound good for Paes, it certainly is no good news for Rohan Bopanna. He needs to up the ante, to notch his rankings a bit higher.

It was something that people dint expect, an Indian and a Pakistani playing together as a doubles team in Tennis. Well, that happened and promptly they lost. It happens with the best of the guys. The guys in question are Rohan Bopanna and Aisam Ul Haq Quereshi. They have started playing together as a doubles team very recently and their first encounter together was the French Open. Unfortunately for them, despite our wishes , they could not match the skills and stamina of the Bryan Brothers, Mike and Bob. They lost in the first round at the French Open in straight sets 1-6, 4-6 in just under an hour.

However this pairing also sets off a train of thoughts. Whenever an Indian and a Pakistani play together , why do we go ga ga about this being a form of people’s diplomacy ? While it certainly introduces a feel good factor, why cant we let these sporting pairing be just that, a matter concerned with sports. Why cant we allow them to play just like any other doubles pair. Do we have to look at everything from the Indo-Pak angle ?

Indian Tennis– What next in the Play offs

Its been a long time since India has been in the World Group of the Davis Cup. India has a chance of making it to the final round of the Davis Cup only if they play well in the play offs. But looking at the way the team is performing I am sure they wouldnt cross the first hurdle. I am not taking away credit from them for their victories. But its been ages since India last entered the World Group of Davis Cup , to be precise nearly 10 years now. The last time they entered the World Group was in 1998 and they lost to Italy 4-1. Italy went on to play in the finals of the Davis Cup, but ended as runners up to Sweden.

I can only cry at the plunge Indian Tennis has taken in the last ten years or so. While players like Lee and Hesh have done themselves a world of good in Doubles Tennis, our performance has been at the best mediocre in the Davis Cups..

Lets to cheer to our Tennis players for making it to the Playoffs.. I wish they play well and go on into the World Group and maybe the finals of Davis Cup…

India lose the reverse singles.

Well, it had all the makes of a Bollywood potboiler, first there was the revolt, then the get together, then a show of togetherness and ultimately a win. Not to be out done, there was a mutiny again. If you thought this was a plot of a bollywood movie, think again. This is what is happening with Indian Tennis. That was the story line of the way Indian Tennis Team played at the Davis Cup tie against Japan.

First there was a revolt against Paes, then the sham of a get together, then 3 wins. Suddenly the single’s specialists Rohan Boppanna and Prakash Amritraj pulled out of the reverse single citing injuries. Isnt that strange considering that just 2 days ago they played tennis under the most trying circumstances. Whatever the differences they might have had, it is appropriate that they realise that playing for the country is of utmost importance than their individual squabbles.

The net result was, Mahesh and Paes come out to play the singles and promptly lost them i.e India lost the reverse singles. It was a quick affair and it was all over, Hesh lost it in under an hour and Paes too followed suit.

Either way , these 2 rubbers were dead rubbers anyway…but the point lies elsewhere

Rohan gives India a 1-0 lead against Japan

Rohan Bopanna gave India the start it needed. He beat Japanese Kei Nishikori in a three hour 5 setter, which probably sapped Nishikori off his energy. The final score read 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3

Here is a link that will give you more details

http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/apr/11davis.htm

Later in the day Prakash Amritraj is due to play Go Soeda