Davis Cup: Uzbekistan, India blank rivals to stay in World Group I
By ATF Staff
Top seed Kazakhstan and India expectedly retained their places in the World Group I with comfortable victories in their home ties, while Colombia faced stiff resistance before edging past a gritty Barbados 3-2 in a thrilling playoff contest that lasted full distance in Ibague.
Kazakhstan blanked Pakistan 4-0 in Astana and in New Delhi, India romped home with a similar scoreline against Togo.
Pakistan entered the tie without veteran player and National Federation President Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi. Pakistani youngsters Muzamill Murtaza and Huzaifa Abdul Rehman but the Alexander Shevchenko (6-2 6-1) and Beibit Zhukayev (7-5 6-0) proved too strong for them.
Veteran Aqeel Khan and Murtaza fought theiur hearts out in the doubles to keep the side in the hunt but eventually lost 4-6 6-7(1) to Shevchenko and Timofei Skatov, conceding a decisive 0-3 lead.
Kazakhstan handed debut to Denis Yevseyev, who closed the tie with a comfortable 6-0 6-0 thrashing of Pakistan debutant Ahmad Nael Qureshi.
*At DLTA Complex, India were hardly troubled by African nation Togo, who came into the contest by winning 10 of their last 11 ties.
However, an arm injury to their best player Thomas Setodji severely cripelled their challenge.
India played without their best singles and doubles players but Sasikumar Mukund and Ramkumar Ramanathan did the job with consummate ease.
Mukund thrashed Liova Ayite Ajavon 6-2 6-1 in the opening singles and Ramkumar doubled the lead with his 6-2 6-0 win over Setodji, who is a travelling coach for French player Calvin Hemery (ranked 212).
The pair of N Sriram Balaji and debutant Rithvik Bollipalli dished out a strong performance, winning 6-2 6-1 against M’lapa Tingou Akomolo and Hod’abalo Isak Padio, sealing the tie.
In the dead fourth rubber, India fielded debutant Karan Singh, who won 6-2 6-3 against Padio.
Lebanon and Uzbekistan, though, could not cross the Play-off hurdle, losing to Peru and Bosnia and Herzegovina, respectively.
The winning nations will play in World Group I in September 2025.
RESULTS:
Kazakhstan bt Pakistan 4-0 in Astana
India beat Togo 4-0 in New Delhi
Lebanon lost 0-4 to Peru (#6) in Cairo
Uzbekistan lost 1-3 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tashkent
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