Somdev playing smarter tennis: Coach Zeeshan Ali

BANGALORE: The Indian Davis Cup team -- Somdev Devvarman, Sanam Singh, Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni -- scored over South Korea in Busan, sealing a place in the 16-team World Group play-off contest to be held in September (12 to 14). India's biggest gain from the Asia-Oceania Group 1 outing was the return to form of their US-based No. 1 player Somdev, who has had a roller-coaster opening three months to the year.
Somdev, 29, who put his team in the play-offs with two singles wins, has swung between strong wins and shock defeats so far this season, none more disappointing than his recent run in the United States. Besides his opening round exits in the qualifiers in Indian Wells and Miami, he lost to unranked Spaniard Daniel Gimeno Traver in the first round of a Challenger tournament in Irving, Texas.
In Busan, however, against Hyeon Chung (377) and Yong Kyu Lim (300), he did what he does best, fight to the finish. India will need more of that fighting craft in their World Group play-off to be played against one of the eight seeded teams -- Serbia, Spain, Argentina, Canada, USA, Australia, Croatia and Belgium. The draw will be held in London on Tuesday.
India coach Zeeshan Ali said Somdev's form that saw him take on the load in the absence of the country's No. 2 player Yuki Bhambri due to injury against a side India had never beaten away was most comforting. He said: "Even though the rankings say otherwise, it was a tough tie. We were playing a team that had nothing to lose. Somdev led from the front. He's a different player today than the one we saw in Indore in January. He's in greater control of his game, balancing attack and defence.
"He's playing much smarter, serving aggressively and doing what he does best on a tennis court, getting into a fight. Once Som sinks his teeth into a contest he's difficult to put away."
Somdev, who was attempting to change the defensive mould of his play, trying to attack more, lost more than just a few matches in the transition phase.
Shock losses and some straight-set affairs against lowly ranked opposition suggested that the well-intentioned pro was losing his way more often than not. He seemed confused and low on confidence.