Davis Cup: Paes creates history as India win doubles match
Tianjin (China), April 7: Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna notched up a hard fought win in the doubles contest to keep India's chances alive in their Davis Cup Asia/Ocenia Group I tie against China here on Saturday.
The experienced Indian combination were made to sweat by the spirited Chinese pair of Mo Xin Gong and Ze Zhang before claiming a 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) victory.
It was a landmark moment for the 44-year-old Paes as he notched up a record 43rd Davis Cup victory to become the most successful player in the history of the tennis competition.
Paes was tied on 42 wins with Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli for a long time, but the Kolkata born star finally surpassed him with his 43rd victory.
India now trail the hosts 1-2. Ramkumar Ramanathan and Sumit Nagal had lost their respective singles matches on Friday which handed China a 2-0 lead.
Now Ramanathan and Nagal will now have to win both the reverse singles if India is to qualify for the World Group Play-offs.
Needing a win in the doubles to keep India afloat in the tie, Paes stamped his class along with the experienced Bopanna.
In the first set, Paes' service was broken in the 11th game after the two pairs were tied at 5-5.
The Indians got more break opportunities than the hosts but struggled to kill it off.
The Indians broke Gong in the third game for a 2-1 lead and then held on.
In the decider, Paes and Bopanna frittered away a 3-1 lead by losing three games in a row to trail 3-4.
Paes came out to serve at 5-6 and went down 0-30 but the veteran used all his experience to pull off the crucial hold to force another tie-breaker.
In the tie breaker, Paes and Bopanna used all their experience to roll over the lower-ranked Chinese and pull off the triumph.
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AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal announces 'Kejriwal ki Guarantee'
New Delhi(PTI): Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced "Kejriwal ki Guarantee", listing 10 works that will be done on war-footing, including to "free" Indian land from Chinese occupation, if the INDIA bloc forms government at the Centre.
The opposition bloc, which has parties such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam among others as its members, was formed to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the Lok Sabha polls.
A day after his release from jail on interim bail, Kejriwal on Saturday said the INDIA bloc will form next the government and his AAP will be part of it.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the AAP leader said people will have to choose between "Modi ki Guarantee" and "Kejriwal ki guarantee". The latter is a "brand", Kejriwal said. On the announcement of his gurantees, Kejriwal said, "I have not discussed with my INDIA bloc partners about this. I will press upon my INDIA bloc partners to fulfill these guarantees."
Kejriwal said while the AAP has fulfilled its "guarantees" of free power, good schools and Mohalla Clinics in Delhi, "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has not fulfilled his guarantees".
On "Kejriwal ki Guarantee", he said 24X7 power supply, good education and health facilities, and arranging two crore jobs for youths every year are part of it.
"We worked on management to ensure 24x7 power supply in Punjab and Delhi. We can do it in the entire country. The government schools in the country are in a bad shape. We will arrange good quality education across the country. We know how to do it," he said.
Kejriwal also promised to end the Agniveer scheme and ensure that farmers get MSP for their crops as per the Swaminathan Commission's report.
"Rashtra Sarvopari is our guarantee. China has occupied our land and we will free it from their occupation," he said. Kejriwal also promised to provide full statehood to Delhi.
"BJP inducts all corrupt people in their party. BJP's washing machine will be dismantled publicly. We will come up with a system for hassle-free trade and business in the country," he said.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi excise policy scam case, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on Friday.
