Gigantic wooden stands hastily put up at the Island grounds next to the Gymkhana club. A packed audience that saw everything that an engrossing Davis Cup encounter had to offer — Australia taking a 2-0 lead only for India to pull back to 2-2; the decider between John Alexander and Sashi Menon going to five sets and the tie stretching to a fourth day. Thirty years ago have flown by since Chennai hosted a Davis Cup match.
It was the Eastern Zone semifinal tie that brought the contestants to the city — then called Madras — in February 1979. In the 1970s, Australia, by some quirk in the Davis Cup rules, were not only in the Eastern Zone but had to play their matches against India away from home. In 1970, India beat Australia for the first time in Bangalore with the late Premjit Lal playing a starring role in the 3-1 victory. Two years later, Australia turned the tables with a 5-0 sweep. The following year, Madras was the venue with the tie being held at the Madras Cricket Club courts. Australia romped home 4-0 but India had their revenge in 1974 when they edged out the Aussies 3-2 at Calcutta.
By the time Australia and India came to Madras five years later, the stage was set for a keenly fought contest. Vijay Amritraj and John Alexander, the aces on the respective sides, were at the peak of their game. The latter was the highest ranked ATP player among the participants and was expected to take both singles but with the Amritraj brothers favourites to take the doubles much would depend on Ross Case, the second singles player on the Aussie side.
On the eve of the match, there was much speculation about who would be India’s second singles player. The choice was between Anand Amritraj and Sashi Menon and non-playing captain Ramanathan Krishnan finally opted for the latter. This move would at least help in keeping Anand fresh for the doubles though, at the time, there was little to choose between the two players.
As luck would have it, the draw pitted Sashi against Case in the first singles. The Indian matched the Aussie in groundstrokes but Case was fitter and faster on court. The first set was keenly fought out before Case won 9-7 (it was before the tie-breaker had been introduced in Davis Cup play) but thereafter the Indian made a number of unforced errors and Case wrapped up the next two sets 6-1 and 6-2 for the match.
Now it was the turn of the big two to regale the packed crowd. Alexander and Vijay did put up a splendid show while playing attacking tennis. Both traded shots at a furious pace while serving up ace after ace. Ultimately, Alexander’s greater consistency in court craft told and he won 6-4, 8-6, 1-6, 6-3 to put Australia two up.
It was a commanding position to be at the end of the first day but the lead was expected to be cut down to 2-1 by the end of the second and so it was. Vijay and Anand were then one of the leading doubles combinations in the game and, after an uncertain start, the brothers dominated to defeat Case and Geoff Masters 6-8, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 and India stayed in the hunt.
A full house Sunday crowd had plenty to cheer pretty early with Vijay comfortably beating back the challenge from Case. His 7-5, 6-1, 7-5 victory put India on level terms and everything now hinged on the decider between Alexander and Sashi. Given the disparity in the rankings, the big serving Aussie was expected to romp home. History was also against India for not many teams had converted a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 triumph in Davis Cup play.
And yet, before a wildly cheering crowd, Sashi took the first two sets 8-6 and 6-3 and India were just a set away from a remarkable triumph. It seemed unbelievable as the underdog raised the level of his game even as Alexander seemed strangely lethargic as if wilting in the heat. But Alexander was not only strongly built, he had a heart of oak. The fightback commenced in the third set and, after taking it 6-3, the Australian leveled matters by winning the fourth set by a similar margin.
By this time, the light was fading and the umpire had to halt play. Predictably enough, it was an electrifying atmosphere the following day when the gladiators resumed the high-octane contest. Who would take the final decisive set? Perhaps fittingly, considering his marvelous fightback, it was Alexander who won 6-4 to get past a gallant Sashi and put Australia in the zone final.
partabramchand@yahoo.com
