Paes creates world record in India’s stunning comeback win

TIL Desk Sports/ Tennis icon Leander Paes became the most successful doubles player in the history of Davis Cup with a record 43rd win before young guns Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran pulled off the must-win rubbers as India advanced to the World Group Play-offs with a sensational 3-2 win over China, in Tianjin, on Saturday.

Everything depending on how they fared in the do-or-die doubles rubber, the 44-year-old Paes and Rohan Bopanna downed a fighting Chinese pair of Mao Xin Gong and Ze Zhang 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6(3) to keep India afloat in the second round Asia/Oceania Group I tie.

Ramkumar Ramanathan, who copped criticism from captain Mahesh Bhupathi for his lackluster show in the opening singles, redeemed his reputation by defeating Di Wu 7-6(4), 6-3. The win levelled the tie 2-2.Captain Bhupathi then played a masterstroke by playing left-handed Prajnesh Gunneswaran instead of Sumit Nagal in the tie-deciding fifth rubber against the Chinese teen sensation Yibing Wu and the Chennai boy did not disappoint as he delivered a 6-4 6-2 win to seal the tie for India.