India clinch doubles match, lead 2-1 in Davis Cup

India stood one win away from securing a berth in the World Group play-offs after Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni defeated Hyung-Taik Lee and Lim Yong-Kyu in the crucial doubles match of their second round Asia/Oceania Group I tie against Korea, here today.

Bopanna and Myneni prevailed 7-6 (4), 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-3 to give India a 2-1 lead after day one had ended 1-1. "Great effort and win by @rohanbopanna and saketh to get the doubles point and give us a 2 1 lead. way to go boys. #DavisCup #TeamIndia," tweeted Sanam Singh, who had lost in the opening singles yesterday, after the match.

Great effort and win by @rohanbopanna and saketh to get the doubles point and give us a 2 1 lead. way to go boys. #DavisCup #TeamIndia

— Sanam (@sanamksingh) April 5, 2014

Pairing up for only the second time in their career, Bopanna and Myneni staved off the challenge posed by Hyung-Taik and Lim in a see-saw battle which became lop-sided by the fourth set.

India are now on the verge of beating Korea for the first time in an away tie. They also have a chance to improve on the overall head-to-head record which stands at 3-6. The last time the two teams played was in 2013 when the Koreans beat India 4-1 in New Delhi in the absence of top players, who boycotted the tie.

India are coming into this tie after having blanked Taipei 5-0 while the hosts had got a bye in the first round as one of the top seeds and are seeking a World Group play-off berth for the first time since 2008.