[*bunny*]

Captain Takeuchi will make Kei play three rubbers again.
Don't know why he will use Sugita in singles, not Soeda or Ito, though Sugita is not a bad player.

R1 Y. SUGITA S. v. DEVVARMAN
R2 K. NISHIKORI v. R. BOPANNA
R3 K. NISHIKORI/G. SOEDA v. R. BOPANNA/V. VARDHAN
R4 K. NISHIKORI v. S. DEVVARMAN
R5 Y. SUGITA v. R. BOPANNA


I'm going on Sunday and will report on the matches later.

[*bunny*]

Sugita leads Devvarman 6-3 6-4.

He beat Devvarman in Japan Open qualifying in 2009 and put up a goot fight against Somdev at the Aptos challenger last year, losing in three sets. Maybe that's why the captain picked him to play the first rubber. Still, he must be playing really well and Somdev may have some problems.

[*bunny*]

Sugita def. Devvarman 6-3 6-4 7-5!

[*bunny*]

Kei leads Bopanna 6-3.

[*bunny*]

6-3 6-2 6-2

Japan 2-0 India

[misty1]

great day for japan, puts them in a really great position to win this

[chewy]

Great start from Japan, and it's a nice surprise win from Sugita not knowing his history against Somdev.
And to win it in straight sets!

Originally Posted by *bunny*

I'm going on Sunday and will report on the matches later.

Enjoy and hope you'll get some great matches.

Btw, bunny do you know of any live streams for the Japen vs India tie? I didn't see any from the usual livescorehunter.
Would be great to be able to watch both singles and doubles, I'm quite fascinated with the doubles rubber if Kei plays.

[kinokino]

Go Japan!
Thank you bunny!!
I am looking forward to your report.

[*bunny*]

Originally Posted by chewy

Great start from Japan, and it's a nice surprise win from Sugita not knowing his history against Somdev.
And to win it in straight sets!

Enjoy and hope you'll get some great matches.

Btw, bunny do you know of any live streams for the Japen vs India tie? I didn't see any from the usual livescorehunter.
Would be great to be able to watch both singles and doubles, I'm quite fascinated with the doubles rubber if Kei plays.

Looks like Ito and Sugita will play doubles, according to the captain Takeuchi's quote on the JTA site. You know what, as you know, this is a very important tie that Japan may be able to return to the World Group for the first time in 27 years, and THERE'S NO TV BROADCAST!
This is how tennis is treated in Japan. People may know Kimiko, Kei, Shuzo, Ai, et al, but only hardcore tennis fans have seen them play. ...Well, it was a bit different when Kimiko and Shuzo were playing at their peak, there were more TV coverage. But now it's only two paid channels (WOWOW and GAORA) that air tennis regularly. Even public broadcaster NHK doesn't bother with tennis except during Wimbledon.

So we have to rely on streaming to watch our player play in our country! I was at work yesterday during the matches and I'm in office today too so I can't watch doubles either but I guess there will be some live streaming on LiveScoreHunter, FromSports, etc? Will post the link if I find any on Japanese sites.

Also, apparently Devvarman had a shoulder problem during the match yesterday, so that probably contributed to the outcome. He'll probably sit out the doubles too to be ready vs Kei on Sunday.

[*bunny*]

Chewy, there's a link to live streaming for the doubles match on Livescorehunter.com.
http://www.lshunter.tv/index.php?opt...pup&Itemid=327

[chewy]

Thanks bunny, I was checking livescorehunter while I read your post! (can watch it now...end of 1st set)
Yesterday I was at work, so couldn't see it anyway, but hopefully I can see Kei's singles rubber tomorrow

So are there any japanese pay TV that covers this tie live in Japan?
It's ashame the free to air don't promote it more to the public though.

[*bunny*]

Originally Posted by chewy

Thanks bunny, I was checking livescorehunter while I read your post! (can watch it now...end of 1st set)
Yesterday I was at work, so couldn't see it anyway, but hopefully I can see Kei's singles rubber tomorrow

So are there any japanese paid TV that covers this tie live in Japan?
It's ashame the free to air don't promote it more to the public though.

Nope. Not even WOWOW that shows summaries of World Group matches when everyone has forgotten about it.
J-Sports used to cover DC matches but not anymore. It's a real shame!
Sadly, for many people in Japan tennis is something you do for fun, not a spectators' sports.
But tickets sell very well at Japan Open and Toray Panpacific, so I think many people will watch it if it's on TV. I guess it's just free-to-air TVs are being lazy they don't like to be involved in tennis broadcast because you'd never know when the match will end.

[*bunny*]

Btw, the guy wearing a white cap is Ito, and the guy with a black headband is Sugita.

(I'm sneaking watching it now at work. )

[chewy]

Originally Posted by *bunny*

Nope. Not even WOWOW that shows summaries of World Group matches when everyone has forgotten about it.
J-Sports used to cover DC matches but not anymore. It's a real shame!
Sadly, for many people in Japan tennis is something you do for fun, not a spectators' sports.
But tickets sell very well at Japan Open and Toray Panpacific, so I think many people will watch it if it's on TV. I guess it's just free-to-air TVs are being lazy they don't like to be involved in tennis broadcast because you'd never know when the match will end.

I wonder if Kei can make a bigger impact to change this if he can get a breakthrough...hopefully soon.

I recgonise Ito and Sugita, and I know Sugita is the shorter dude.
(Maybe Ito uses same racquet as Kei, except Kei has a custom paint job)
I only watched part of the 2nd set, couldn't finish it because the video was lagging horribly.
Probably something wrong with my flash pluggin cause the internet connection was fine...they play pretty well and it was very close. Japan lost in the 4th set tb.

I'm hoping to see a good clean competitive match from Kei vs Somdev.
And the crowds pretty cool, they applaud both sides and seems to appreciate the sport.

[DanaKz]

Congratulations!