Davis Cup WG Play Off: India loses tie to Canada, fails to qualify

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Yuki Bhambri won the dead fifth rubber against Canada in Davis Cup World Group Play Off tie.

Internet Desk: India will have to wait for its turn yet again as it failed to get past Canada in the Davis Cup World Group Play off tie at Edmonton on Sunday. The Indian team lost 2-3 to hosts Canada. Yuki Bhambri won the dead fifth rubber against Brayden Schnur 6-4 4-6 6-4 before Ramkumar Ramanathan lost the must –win fourth rubber 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-3 to Shapovalov.

It is now fourth straight year that India have not managed to cross the Play-offs hurdle, having lost to Serbia, Czech Republic and Spain in previous three attempts. India will now battle it out in the Asian Zone to qualify for World Group Play Off.

The win took back to the Elite Group of the Davis Cup after they lost to Great Britain in the first round of 16 Nation World Group in February.

Much was expected from Ramkumar Ramanathan but the youngster from Chennai lost 11 straight points to start with. It was one-way traffic till the eighth game as the Canadian left-hander lost only three points till he came out to serve out the opening set.

Ramkumar tried to match his Canadian opponent as he took the second set to tie-break before losing out. Despite put under pressure, Shapovalov won 13 of the last 15 points of the second set. That was the difference between the two players. While Ramkumar could take none of the six break chances he got, Shapovalov lifted himself from tricky situations easily.

Shapovalov broke the Indian at love in the sixth game to open up a 4-2 lead and clinched the tie in the ninth game on an unforced error from Ramkumar.