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A few bad calls did not help our cause, says Bopanna
New Delhi, Sept 22: Describing his opening singles match in the Davis Cup world group qualifying tie against the Netherlands as `pretty close`, Rohan Boppanna said the result of the marathon tussle could have gone in India`s favour had he not been a victim of `a few bad calls`.
New Delhi, Sept 22: Describing his opening singles match in the Davis Cup world group qualifying tie against the Netherlands as "pretty close", Rohan Boppanna said the result of the marathon tussle could have gone in India's favour had he not been a victim of "a few bad calls".
"The tie was pretty close, a few bad (line) calls here and there did not help our cause," Bopanna said from Zwolle.
"If the scores had been 1-1 on day one, it could have gone either way. And even in the doubles we were leading in the second set," he said.
The 23-year-old from Coorg, who fought a four and a half hour battle including a 12-10 fifth set while losing to Martin Verkerk in the opening singles, said "it was a great experience" playing against a world number 14 player. "It was one of my memorable matches. Verkerk has a huge serve, it is not easy against someone who comes up with 43 aces in a match. But I had nothing to lose, so I just went and played my best," he said.
Bopanna himself served 21 aces against Verkerk, French Open finalist, in a match that involved 69 games, the tense fifth set alone lasting more than an hour.
Bopanna, who had won a futures title two weeks before the Holland tie and was also the Indian number one in ATP rankings said he had trained hard for the rigours of a Davis Cup programme. Bureau Report
"If the scores had been 1-1 on day one, it could have gone either way. And even in the doubles we were leading in the second set," he said.
The 23-year-old from Coorg, who fought a four and a half hour battle including a 12-10 fifth set while losing to Martin Verkerk in the opening singles, said "it was a great experience" playing against a world number 14 player. "It was one of my memorable matches. Verkerk has a huge serve, it is not easy against someone who comes up with 43 aces in a match. But I had nothing to lose, so I just went and played my best," he said.
Bopanna himself served 21 aces against Verkerk, French Open finalist, in a match that involved 69 games, the tense fifth set alone lasting more than an hour.
Bopanna, who had won a futures title two weeks before the Holland tie and was also the Indian number one in ATP rankings said he had trained hard for the rigours of a Davis Cup programme. Bureau Report