CHENNAI: “Somdev’s present ranking is 204 but he looks a better player,” said Carlos Moya about India’s latest tennis sensation. This compliment must be perhaps the best that Somdev Devvarman received in all his career.
Indians are known to be serve and touch volley players and Somdev with his solid baseline play deceived the former world No 1 and two time Chennai Open champion with his aggression and fighting skills.
Somdev who seems to be improving with every outing outclassed Moya in a thrilling three-setter which lasted two hours and 13 minutes. Somdev after losing the first set fought back brilliantly to win the next two to inflict a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 defeat upon Moya and storm into the quarterfinals of the Chennai Open here on Thursday.
Somdev will meet another regular of the Chennai Open Ivo Karlovic of Crotia on Friday.
Somdev after losing the first set, broke Moya’s serve in the 11th game of the second and also managed to breach the Spaniards serve in the third game of the final set to seal the match in his favour. A standing ovation awaited Somdev who was watched by his mother too.
In the 10th game of the final set when the score read 40-30 in favour of Somdev, the Indian Davis Cupper smashed a volley from Moya to register one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Open by an Indian.
One thing that has helped Somdev playing with a wild card and one who began his career in Chennai was his self-belief and never say die attitude.
In the first set there was able display of it. He lost the frst three games, conceding a break and fought back hard on the strength of his angled serves and placing to take the score 3-3.
He in fact broke Moya in the fifth game. But Moya who was serving at a speed of 200 kmph plus, regularly used his vast experience to win the first set breaking Somdev again in the 10th game.
Although he lost, his ability to match stride for stride irked Moya for he did not expect the Indian to put up a stiff resistance.
Somdev had nothing to lose. He was hitting the ball hard and was slowly getting back this rhythm. He kept winning games regularly off his serve without conceding a point and at the same time made Moya sweat to hold on to his serve.
As the match entered the third set on thought if Somdev would have the staying power to go through the grind. But he did so in style. Somdev who was by now high on confidence went all out on Moya. The Spaniard for the first time buckled under pressure against a rookie and the weather was also not in his favour.
“The heat got me in the third set. But that’s no excuse. Somdev played better than me today,” summed up Moya on his defeat.
On the other hand Somdev was not carried away with his sensational win and said that he now has a tough job in hand against the experienced and seasoned campaigner Karlovic.
