ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: Pakistan's Aqeel Khan lived dangerously on Sunday in the decisive match of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group I playoff against New Zealand's Simon Rea before play was suspended because of fading light much to the relief of a nervous home camp.
After Aisamul Haq Qureshi went down fighting to Mark Nielsen in a five and a half hour five-set marathon to allow New Zealand pull level 2-2, all eyes were on Aqeel to seal it for his team. But as he did in his opening singles against Nielsen on Friday, he fared poorly, this time against a weaker opponent, who seemed clearly beat able. When the umpire called off play both players had won a set each with Rea 4-2 up in third, a position that New Zealand manager Patrick O'Rourke thought would give his team a slight edge after the tie resumes on Monday morning.
Aqeel made mistakes, losing crucial points by not lobbing the ball against Rea who came on to the net just too often. He was lucky though to take the first set in a tie-break 7-6 (5) before his opponent came roaring back to win the second 6-2, breaking the home player's serve.
As Aqeel continued to err, not being able to hold his serve in the fourth game of the third set, the umpire's decision to stop play just might well help Pakistan make amends.
"Aqeel may have been under pressure because of Aisam's defeat but he is an experienced player and tomorrow he must improve," Pakistani captain Rashid Malik said. "I will tell Aqeel to play his normal game, come on to the net and be aggressive because I think he was too much on the back foot."
His team-mate Aisam however was a class act and fought tooth and nail giving Nielsen a run for his money before the New Zealander was able to squeeze a 6-4, 6-7 (7-1), 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory.
"I think Aisam played tremendously well although the other guy was serving really good and was moving all over," said Rashid who felt that his player was unlucky at break points.
Aisam was unable to hold his serve in the 10th game of the first set as Nielsen sent down two fine forehand returns to wrest initiative. A fighting Aisam broke his rival's serve in the 5th game of the second set and then held his own in the eighth to be level at four games all.
With fortunes fluctuating, he forced a tie break which he wrapped up following a Nielsen double fault. Nielsen, at home on the clay court of Islamabad Club, showed no signs of being troubled by the burning sun and seemed to be a continual danger.
It was hence no surprise that he broke Aisam twice in the third set which he won by conceding only two games. With a set down, Aisam fell behind in the fourth set but bounced back by breaking the New Zealanders eight game and then went on to draw level, a Nielsen double fault in the 12th game allowing him to land the set.
The match intriguingly poised, Nielsen saved five break points in the fifth game of the final set and then held his serve to finish off what turned out to be a high-octane clash.
"I am glad that the boys came out fighting today; Nielsen is a very experienced Davis Cup player and he held on to win it today," O'Rourke said. Of Rea's match with Aqeel, he said that he had started the match well but felt that there was still a long way to go.
RESULTS:
REVERSE SINGLES: Mark Nielsen (NZ) bt Aisamul Haq Qureshi (Pak) 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-2, 5-7, 6-4; Simon Rea (NZ) leads Aqeel Khan (Pak) 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 4-2.
PLAYED SATURDAY (DOUBLES): Aisamul Haq Qureshi/Aqeel Khan (Pak) bt Mark Nielsen-Simon Rea (NZ) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.
PLAYED FRIDAY (SINGLES): Mark Nielsen (NZ) bt Aqeel Khan (Pak) 6-0, 6-2, 6-2; Aisamul Haq Qureshi (Pak) bt Simon Rea (NZ) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3.