Saturday was a day of redemption of sorts for the Indian Davis Cup team, as the duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna secured a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Tatsuma Ito and Yuichi Sugita in the doubles rubber to reduce the deficit to a point in the World Group Playoff tie in Tokyo. Facing an uphill task of overcoming a 2-0 scoreline after a disappointing first day, the Indians have clawed back to give themselves a fighting chance on the final day. Shiv-Prakash Mishra's men must now win the remainder of the two singles rubbers to ensure that their country features in next year's World Group.

The Indian pairing went ahead in the third game of the first set by breaking the serve of Yuichi Sugita and taking a 2-1 lead. However Mahesh Bhupathi's serve came under pressure in the eighth game, and the Japanese leveled proceedings to 4-4 following the break back. But the hero of the first singles rubber Sugita dropped serve once again to allow the Indians to edge ahead and ultimately claim the set 7-5.

The Indian contingent got off to the worst possible start in their Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against Japan after losing their first two rubbers to go down 2-0 at the Ariako Coliseum in Tokyo. There were high hopes placed on Somdev Devvarman to deliver a much needed point for his country, but he failed to deliver, going down 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to Yuichi Sugita in the opening rubber. Then Japanese No.1 Kei Nishikori took to court to dismantle Rohan Bopanna 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 with clinical precision to take his country to a position of considerable advantage.

Indian captain Shiv Prakash Mishra would have ideally wanted Somdev Devvarman to kick things off with a win to ensure that India maintain its immaculate record against the Japanese. But his opponent Sugita wrested the initiative in an intense encounter by breaking his opponent in the fourth game. In an intense baseline encounter, Sugita took control of the rallies while maintaining his composure while serving to close out the set 6-3.

It was a perfect day for Spain in the semi-finals of  the Davis Cup on Friday as Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer asserted their supremacy on a French lineup that barely offered any resistance to the top ranked duo. The Spaniards have taken a commanding 2-0 lead and are well poised for victory playing on their beloved surface (clay), yet Guy Forget's men will be bitterly disappointed with their meek surrender on a hot afternoon at the Plaza de Toros de los Califas in Cordoba.

Richard Gasquet was at the wrong end of results against Nadal in their previous 9 meetings, and succumbed to a highly one sided 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Mallorcan on this occasion. Some would have thought that Gilles Simon would unfurl his speed and agility to level proceedings and keep his nation's hopes alive, but Ferrer was too hot to handle for the 11th ranked Frenchman, losing 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 to allow Spain to dream of a return to the Davis Cup final.

Australia's Bernard Tomic and world No.19 Stanislas Wawrinka will open the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Play-off at Royal Sydney Golf Club tomorrow. They will be followed by a re-match of one of tennis' most classic rivalries when world when Australia's Davis Cup stalwart Lleyton Hewitt takes on world No.3 Roger Federer. Hewitt won their last Davis Cup encounter, an epic five setter in the 2003 semifinal.

On Saturday Hewitt will team with Chris Guccione against Federer and Wawrinka in the crucial doubles tie. The reverse singles on Sunday will see Tomic play Federer for the first time, with Hewitt up against Wawrinka.