By TERRY MADDAFORD in Wellington
India's Davis Cup dream lives on, but only after surviving a fourth-rubber scare when New Zealand No 1 Mark Nielsen battled back from 4-6, 3-6, 0-3 against Leander Paes to take the game to a fifth set.
Sadly for the pathetically small crowd who had sat through yesterday's three-hour rain delay at the hardly top-class Renouf Tennis Centre, that effort told and Nielsen was unable to maintain the pressure as India clinched the Asia/Oceania semifinal.
In losing 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, Nielsen showed much of the grit and fight Davis Cup tennis is all about.
But Paes showed you do not get to the giddy heights he has experienced, particularly in doubles, without the ability to play the big points and retain composure under pressure.
At times, especially as Nielsen bravely fought back, Paes appeared rushed. But a change of shirt and the chance for a couple of deep breaths after dropping the fourth set gave the 28-year-old renewed focus.
In the end, the statistics told the story. Paes served 11 aces and gave up eight double faults, while Nielsen managed just four aces but served 14 double faults.
Paes showed all his skills as a doubles player in dominating the net. When Nielsen was able to turn it into a baseline slugfest, he was more comfortable and won some good points with well-struck ground shots.
"When I came back after the break I felt really good," said Nielsen. "I had a couple of whacks. A few went in and my confidence went up.
"But it was not easy against a player who, apart from Pat Rafter, has the fastest hands in world tennis. I felt I showed I can play with the best."
Earlier, the well-tried doubles combination of Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi shrugged off the inconvenience of an overnight delay to quickly finish off rookie New Zealand pairing of James Shortall and Dan Willman.
Ahead 6-4, 6-3 at the end of Saturday's delayed and abbreviated play, the visitors needed just 39 minutes yesterday morning to win the third set 6-4 with one break of service.
Again, it was Willman who was broken after Shortall gave the New Zealanders a solid start. Willman, broken in the 10th game of the first set and the eighth of the second, dropped the third game of the third.
In entrusting Shortall with the dead rubber, non-playing captain Glenn Wilson may have ended Alistair Hunt's Davis Cup career, which began in 1995 and stretched to 16 ties.
In that dead rubber, Harsh Mankad beat Shortall 7-5, 6-3 under lights.
Tennis: Battling Nielsen comes up short
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