India lost 2-3 to Canada in the Davis Cup World Group play-offs at the Northlands Coliseum. The visitors were trailing 1-2 going into the final round of matches and needed to win both the reverse singles in order to win the tie. However, their hopes were dashed when Ramkumar Ramanathan lost in straight sets to 18-year-old sensation Denis Shapovalov, which handed the Canadians an unassailable 3-1 lead. Ramanathan did try his best and gave his World No 51 opponent a tough time in the second set before eventually going down 3-6, 6-7, 3-6.
Yuki Bhambri then defeated Brayden Schnur in the inconsequential fifth and final match to grab a consolation victory for the Indians. The 157 ranked Indian defeated the Canadian, ranked 202, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in an hour and 44 minutes. India have failed to cross the play-offs hurdle for the fourth year in row. They lost to Serbia, Czech Republic and Spain in their previous three attempts. The Mahesh Bhupati-led side will have to start again in the Asia/Oceania Group I in 2018 to get to the play-offs stage.
Canada thus have earned their spot back in the 16-nation World Group after losing the first round to Great Britain in February this year. In a nervous start, Ramanathan lost 11 straight points but gradually the serve and volley strategy helped him negate Shapovalov's fiery ground strokes.
The Chennai youngster took some time to settle but by the time he controlled the butterflies in his stomach, Shapovalov had gone up 4-1 with a break of serve in the opening set. 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.
Ramanathan tried to serve and volley but Shapovalov was quick with his returns, hardly giving time to the Indian to charge the net finish the points. Ramanathan did pose a few questions in the ninth game with some sharp returns, earning two breakpoints, but Shapovalov used his big serve to save both and served it out with an ace.
