Czech Republic storm past India into Davis Cup World Group

The Czech Republic stormed into the elite World Group on Sunday after Jiri Vesely thrashed India's Yuki Bhambri in the deciding reverse singles for a 3-1 victory in the Davis Cup playoff.

Vesely, the world number 40, kept his cool in the sweltering heat for an emphatic 6-3 7-5 6-2 win over India's number one player at New Delhi's R. K. Khanna stadium.

The win helped seal the tie for the visitors, who were level following the opening singles on Friday and who won the doubles on Saturday.

The teams decided not to play the last reverse singles scheduled for later Sunday because of the hot and humid conditions.

"It was very, very hard to play in these conditions," Vesely said after the game.

"The Indian team chose just the right place to play the games. We just fought through... I was very (determined) to make my country happy."

India had managed to equalise 1-1 on Friday after the unfancied Somdev Devvarman shocked Vesely in the second singles.
But on Saturday the star pair of Leander Paes, fresh from his mixed doubles win at the US Open, and Rohan Bopanna lost to Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek, handing the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Sunday's victory helped the three-time Davis Cup champions keep intact their record of not dropping outside the competition's elite since 2006.

India, who last made it to the World Group in 2011, will now be relegated to play in the zonal competition.

Throughout Sunday's match Bhambri, ranked 125th in the world, failed to cash in on the home advantage and lost numerous points to unforced errors. He had five break points in the second set but failed to convert any.

As the game closed in Bhambri lost his serve twice, allowing Vesely to take the set and the match, much to the disappointment of a noisy home crowd.
Source: AFP