India were thrashed 0-3 by a far-superior Norway team as world No.2 Casper Ruud combined with Viktor Durasovic to win the doubles match and complete the rout in the World Group-I tie of the Davis Cup here on Saturday.
The Indian pair of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni went down 3-6, 6-3, 3-6. Having lost both the singles on the opening day, the Yuki-Saketh pair did put up a fight before losing to the fancied Norwegian duo in an hour and 50 minutes.
On Day I, both Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran had lost their respective singles matches by identical margins of 1-6, 4-6 to Durasovic and Ruud, respectively.
While Ruud, who recently finished runner-up at the US Open, is a cut above the rest, the Indians couldn’t tame even Durasovic, whose singles ranking is a lowly 325 and stands at 224 in the doubles list.
Ruud, on the other hand, doesn’t even play doubles on the circuit.
However, as has been the case often, the potent singles player had an advantage over the specialist doubles players.
The Norwegian pair needed one break point each in the first and third set to clinch the rubber.
The Yuki-Saketh pairing had had some success at the Challenger level where they reached a few finals, but at a level which is a few notches higher, the duo failed to keep India afloat.
With Norway taking an unassailable 3-0 lead, the two reverse singles would not be played. India conceded a 0-2 lead to the hosts on the first day even though Ramkumar was expected to win his singles match against Durasovic.
But the No.1 singles player for India failed to live up to expectations as he lost to his lower-ranked opponent in one hour and 16 minutes.
Mickelson bullish on rebel series
The LIV Golf Series is “here to stay”, six-time major winner Phil Mickelson said as he called on the PGA Tour to work with the Saudi-backed series for the good of the sport.
The breakaway circuit launched in June and counts 12 major champions among its players, but the PGA Tour, in a bid to curb the threat, has made sweeping changes including increased purses and an earnings assurance program.
Players who joined the LIV series are no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour events. “The PGA Tour, for the last 20 or 30 years, have had all the best players in the world. That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay,” Mickelson told reporters after carding two-under 70 in the opening round of the LIV event in Chicago on Friday.
“The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old historical ‘history of the game’ product that the PGA Tour provides.
“I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot younger crowds...
“Both are good for the game of golf and the inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary,” he said.
“As soon as that happens, we all start working together. It’s going to be a really positive thing for everyone,” the 52-year-old American added.
