India, Israel, Paraguay in tennis upsets?

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 52

India, Israel, Paraguay in tennis upsets?

NZPA-AFP Paris Paraguay, India and Israel were the surprise winners in the Davis Cup world group first round ties, beating the United States, Argentina and Czechoslovakia respectively, over the week-end. The poor form of Boris Becker cost West Germany a place in the second round when he lost his vital reverse singles to Spain’s Sergio Casal, while the holder, Australia, the beaten finalist, Sweden, France and Mexico all went through to the second round in July. Paraguay had been written off as only moderate opposition for the United States but its never-say-cie attitude took it to a 3-2 win in Asuncion, with two memorable victories in the reverse singles by Hugo Chapacu and Victor Pecci. Aaron Krickstein had been fortunate to win the opening singles against Chapacu, who was injured in the process but stuck gamely to his task and took Krickstein to four sets. Then Pecci levelled the tie by beating Jimmy Arias in four sets, but the Americans had gained the upper hand when Ken Flach and Robert Seguso beat Pecci and Francis Gonzalez in the doubles.

Then yesterday came another shock, as a fullyrecovered Chapacu tied it up> at 2-2 in the first reverse singles, beating Arias in dramatic fashion 6-4, 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 9-7, having come back from 1-5 down in the deciding set. That left it all hanging on the final encounter between Pecci and Krickstein, and the experienced Paraguayan pulled victory out of the hat with a 6-2, 8-6, 9-7 win.

India went into the final day in New Delhi trailing 1-2 against Argentina but

However, with Srejber missing, Czechoslovakia had to call on Karel Novacek as a replacement, and although he put up a spirited resistance, Mansdorf won 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-o.'

won both reverse singles to clinch a place in the second round against Israel.

Vijay Amritraj came from two sets and 0-3 down to score a tremendous victory over Martin Jaite, ranked 17 in the world, to square the best-of-five tie. He also saved a match point in the fourth set.

His 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 8-6, 6-2 win was a marvellous display of character from a man playing Davis Cup for the 19th consecutive year. Jaite, aged 23, took the first two sets in 73 minutes but seemed to wilt when he missed match point in the fourth.

Then Ramesh Krishnan outclassed the Argentine No. 3, Horacio de la Pena, in three straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, to clinch victory. Israel’s performance was even more remarkable, beating the Czechs on their own ground in Hradec Kralove, even though it might be attributed to an early injury to Milan Srejber, who had to pull out of the second singles match on Friday against Shlomo Glickstein. Srejber sprained an ankle and had to concede that rubber but Amos Mansdorf was the Israeli hero, winning the first rubber against Miloslav Mecir in four sets.

Mecir, who last week beat Ivan Lendl in such spectacular fashion in the final of the Lipton International Players Championship in Florida, made amends, teaming up with Tomas Smid to beat Mansdorf and Glickstein in the. doubles and then beating Glickstein, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, in yesterday’s first reverse singles.