Flashback 2017: Sporadic success for Indian tennis stars at global stage; Paes-Hesh feud reignites

Bengaluru, December 28: The Indian Davis Cup team knocked at the doors of the elite World Group (top 16 teams) of the Davis Cup, but they were shown the way out after losing 2-3 to Canada in the World Group play-off in September.

India last appeared in the World Group in 2011 and lost to Serbia in Round 1. Although they have had a number of chances of reaching the top-most in the play-offs, faulty selection criteria by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and unrest within the team has led to India being stuck in the Asia/Oceania Group I. This year too was the same story.

The return of Yuki Bhambri from injury and the success of Ramkumar Ramanathan in the Antalya Open should have been something to cheer about for India. Ramkumar posted the biggest victory of his career - a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over the then World No 8 Dominic Thiem and moved to a career ranking of World No 148 at the end of the year.

Bhambri, on the other hand, won his sixth Challenger title at the KPIT-MSLTA Challenger in November and beat the then World No 22 Gael Monfils at the CITI Open in August. He rose from below-500 to No 116 in the world rankings. Another rising star, Sumit Nagal, bagged his first Challenger title at the Bengaluru Open at the end of November.

World No.222 beats world No.8! 😲

Ramkumar Ramanathan shocks Dominic Thiem in Antalya... pic.twitter.com/RDxPOOouPg

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 27, 2017

Meanwhile, doubles player Rohan Bopanna bagged his first Grand Slam title after teaming up with Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski for the French Open mixed doubles crown.

What a day 😳🇨🇦🇮🇳 Very honoured and grateful. @rohanbopanna 🏆 pic.twitter.com/StHo89xGd4

— Gaby Dabrowski (@GabyDabrowski) June 9, 2017

Yet, when the focus should have been on India's achievements on the court, a restart of the feud between former doubles partners Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes led to some uncomfortable moments for the AITA.

Bhupathi, who was announced the Davis Cup non-playing captain for the Asia/Oceania Group I second round tie against Uzbekistan, dropped Paes from the team for the first time in 27 years. Paes, 44 and way past his prime, accused Bhupathi of flouting the selection criteria and bias as Bhupathi chose Bopanna over him.

Bhupathi pointed out that Paes turned fashionably late for practice before the tie against Uzbekistan in April. He also revealed a Whatsapp message where Paes had promised to be there for the team even if he was just chosen in the six-man team. Against Canada in Edmonton, Bhupathi again dropped Paes. But at that time, Paes did not rant against the system or his former partner with whom he has won three Grand Slam titles.

The AITA again failed to intervene and let the feud drag on, leading to a sense of insecurity in the Davis Cup team.

Paes is mainly restricted to Challengers now. He won the Knoxville Challenger and JSM Challenger of Champaign-Urbana in November, partnering Purav Raja. With Adil Shamasdin, he bagged the Aegon Ilkley Trophy in June. Another title came at the USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger with Scott Lipsky in April. Just before the Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan, he won the Torneo Internacional Challenger Leon 2017 with Andre Sa and claimed his form was overlooked for the tie against Uzbeks.

India managed to beat Uzbekistan, who were without their top player Denis Istomin, 4-1. But they struggled against Canada, losing 2-3 in September to drop back into the Asia/Oceania Group I.

India needed Ramkumar to come good against Denis Shapalov in Edmonton, Canada, but the nervous Chennai youngster lost 3-6, 6-7 (1/7), 3-6 to the then World No 51. Bhambri, however, salvaged a point after beating Brayden Schnur 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the dead rubber.

Final moments of prep for @denis_shapo and @ramkumar1994 as they do battle in the 4th rubber here, 🇨🇦 leading 2-1 🇮🇳 #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/EbkgB237KR

— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) September 17, 2017

On Day Two of that Davis Cup tie, Bopanna and partner Purav Raja shockingly lost to Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 3-6. It was a match that could have really turned it around for India.

Bopanna, who won the Monte Carlo Masters with Pablo Cuevas this year, was certainly a disappointing performer for the Davis Cup team.

Another player who silently took good long strides this year was Divij Sharan. The Delhi southpaw is now the country's second-highest ranked player in doubles at number 47.

Despite having to part with regular partner Purav Raja, he kept putting out strong performances. He won the ATP European Open apart from two titles and two runners-up finishes on the Challenger circuit.

Mirza's drop

Among the women, this year witnessed the fall of Sania Mirza from the top-10 rankings in the WTA. Mirza split with long-time successful doubles partner Martina Hingis. She struggled to get a regular partner until she settled with Shuai Peng with whom she reached the US Open semifinals.

The 31-year-old went without a Grand Slam title in 2017, changing eight partners through the season. She is now struggling with a knee injury and has already pulled out of the upcoming Australian Open.

Back to the elite group?

Paes is desperate to own the record of the highest number of Davis Cup victories. He's on 42 wins, tied with Italy's Nicola Pietrangeli, but is looking to break that record.

Although Bhupathi says the door is open for Paes' return, it appears that it's curtains on the veteran's Davis Cup career.

Bhupathi wants to go with three singles players in his Playing Four for all his Davis Cup ties. In this scenario, he's likely to go with the higher-ranked doubles players in the country in Bopanna.

That’s 4 generations of Indian tennis 🎾😀 #legends pic.twitter.com/StP5WAyRsO

— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) December 17, 2017

But he feels India are close to making it back to the World Group. "We worked and fought hard and we are very close to making the World Group," Bhupathi said after the loss to Canada. Next year this time, I expect both Yuki and Ramkumar to be in top 100."

India have a first-round bye in the Asia/Oceania Group I. They will face the winner of the tie between China and New Zealand in April.

(With PTI inputs)