Davis Cup :India-Uzbekistan Tie, DLTA

I had heard about DLTA for long from one of my friends, he used to have his office just adjacent to DLTA (stands for Delhi Lawn Tennis Association). We used to go to meet him there, DTC route # 533 is the one, if I remember correctly, which used to drop there, just opposite DLTA, at the red light (cross roads). Used to call up my friend from the PCO (juice shop) there and he would come out, we would go to IIT Hostel gate dhabas, gorge on the sumptuous aaloo paranthas with lots of butter. But those were the days, was young then.
Well, so what I meant was that, this friend of mine used to tell me all the time, about the matches that used to happen there at DLTA including Davis Cup. This was the time, around 7-8 years ago.

This year, I read some place about the Davis Cup tie going to happen and that in a couple of days in Delhi. So, all set then. DLTA told me that you don't need to buy any tickets , but would get complementary passes to watch the matches, if you come here at the R.K.Khanna Stadium at DLTA, Africa Avenue Road.

So, Saturday afternoon, we were there, although a little late around 1:15 PM, match was suppose to start around 12:00 noon. The parking was to be allowed based on some yellow VIP parking pass which we didn't had, so we had to park in the open on the other side of the road, but still it was fine.
It was a lone match on Saturday, the doubles match with Indian side being represented by Mahesh Bhupati and Rohan Bopanna. We could only seethe last 25-30 min of the game, but I tell you, Mahesh is such a master of the doubles game. He has such reflexes at the net, and reaches such impossible balls, and places them so beautifully, that the opposition has no chance to survive. So the Indian duo, finished up the match in less than 90 minutes total. Leander Paes is the non playing captain of the team and was encouraging all the time. Although, it was pretty clear, that Paes and Mahesh were looking eye-to-eye at all, but it didn't look like making any difference, when it came to going all out to win the game.

And for the first time in my life, we were seeing all those stars in front of my eyes, playing a match for the country, live, motivating each other, winning points and the Uzbeks getting frustrated with the losing points. We had fortunately taken along our camera this time, so we had some beautiful photographs of our national tennis heroes.

We asked the office bearers for a couple of passes for the next day also, and they obliged us with them instantly. So Sunday was the decider day, where in two reverse single matches were to be played. The day would start early at 10:00 AM on Sunday at the stadia.

So, if we have to reach there, we should start around 8:30 from our place, so as not to miss the match, as it will definitely take an hour to reach there, and another half to do the parking etc. So we discussed and decided, that it won't be possible for our little daughter to be up and ready before 8:30 for something she doesn't understand and is not excited the much we are and that the wind is still biting cold.,So the verdict was I shall be going to the matches alone.

I was a little late and started around 8:45 AM, but being Sunday, I reached there quite comfortably before 9:45 AM and was seating comfortably there. It was a better seat today, as I had reached early and searched for a better one, with good view for the match. I hadn't brought the camera today, as I wished to enjoy the matches completely. And what a day it had become. For the glimpse, the matches started around 10:15 AM and were done around 4:45 PM.

The first match was between Rohan Bopanna and Denis Istomin, at one point Rohan was ahead with score 6-4,6-4 and ahead in the third set by 4-2 and still, can you believe it, he lost the match. So it became a five setter running for more than 3 hours. For me it was electric, but still the stands were disappointed a little and so was I as India had lost the match and was not standing at 2-2 with the last match to be had between Prakash Amritaraj and Dustov.

In the meantime, on the home/family front, I asked my wife and kid to reach the stadia on their own, so that can also witness the second match. And they reached around half an hour before the second match. It was to start around 1:45 PM. The players and officials were having lunch and so were we. The stadia had again started echoing the sounds of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Maro Mao, Jor se maro", "Rohan Bhaiya ki Jay", "Prakash Bhaiya ki Jay"; but still the crowd was very decent, they some times used to go over board while cheering up for India team between the serve and points, but whenever the match referee used to point out, they made it a point to even say "Sorry Sir, We will take care". It was fun and enthralled crowd, although not as full as the cricket stadia gets, still it was fantastic environment over there.

So Prakash came to play the last and decider match of the tie which was still live after four matches. For the records sake, the last time India played Uzbek in Davis Cup, they lost 4-1. So, a lot of pressure and expectations on Prakash's shoulders, with his father Vijay Amritraj sitting in the viewers gallery, he comes in front of Dustov who had lost the single day before against Rohan. Match went from this side to that all the while, but the long fought battle was finally won by Prakash, taking India to a 3-2 victory against Uzbek, and I used to know it, but felt it for the first time, what effect does cheering up makes for the players and pressure it creates for the player of the opposite team. We had the advantage of playing in the home ground and so, were full of cheers for the game.
But surely, there were a lot of good cheers for the good game both of them played. The second game was a little better from the game's point of view as they used to have rallies, while in the first game, Rohan or Istomin always used to kill the game never taking it to more than 3-4 strokes.

Well , so it was fantastic to see the winning Indian team taking a round of the court with Indian flag, having a toast right there, with Vijay Amritraj also in with big smile and happy feeling. We witnessed the after match lively atmosphere there for more than 15 minutes and then left. "Chake De india" has become the sports motivational song, after every set the stadium used to play the song in full blast. And after India won, the party wasn't stopping at all.

A news story for this Davis Cup matches on Sunday at Sify for your reference

So, we had a fun filled day, Nanna also liked it very much, and I am tired like hell. I guess, played tennis after long time yesterday and then the whole day outdoor sitting, which I haven't done for long made me feel so.

Now, this Times Festival is going on, and they are going to bring the Wadali Brothers and Kailash Kher to sing on Saturday and Sunday respectively, but where, they haven't yet announced. I hope, I will at least be able to witness one of those live concerts.