Sweden defeats India 2-0 in the opening day: On the opening day of their Davis Cup encounter against Sweden, India trailed 2-0 and lost both of its singles matches in Stockholm, with Ramkumar suffering an unexpected loss.
On the first day of their Davis Cup World Group I match against Sweden, India lost 2-0 as N Sriram Balaji and Ramkumar Ramanathan dropped their singles rubbers in Stockholm on Saturday. This put India in a terrible hole.
The top-ranked Elias Ymer of the hosts easily defeated doubles specialist Balaji 6-4, 6-2 in the first rubber before the more unexpected outcome stunned the guests and dashed their hopes for the match. Leo Borg, son of the renowned Bjorn Borg, who is currently number 603 in the world, defeated Ramkumar, who was rated approximately 250 places higher, 6-3, 6-4. The match is being played on a hard court indoors.
Although a 1-1 result was expected, India now faces a mountain in the second day of play, which will include doubles and reverse singles. Given that Balaji and Ramkumar are also listed for the doubles match, the inexperienced Indian team’s lines and combinations may probably change.
Sweden defeats India 2-0 in the opening day:
Balaji was fielded in singles by Captain Rohit Rajpal, a calculated move that backfired as the 238th-ranked Ymer easily overcame him to give the hosts the advantage. Balaji’s powerful serves were punted by the captain to cause some damage, but in the first game of both sets, the top-ranked Swede broke the Indian.
That outcome might have followed expectations, but not the next. Ramkumar, a 21-year-old who mostly competes on the Futures circuit, faced Borg, who is currently rated 332 in singles but was once close to breaking into the top 100. But the one calling the shots, particularly from the baseline, was the son of the former world number one.
Borg silenced Ramkumar’s game, which mostly depends on the serve and the touch racing towards the net, with the support of the home crowd. In the sixth game of the opening set, the Indian was broken to love. He had a chance to break back in the following game, but Borg held on. After breaking Ramkumar in the seventh game to end the set, match, and give the hosts a comfortable lead, he did it once more in the second set.