Guangzhou, Nov 13: Somdev Devvarman and Karan Rastogi steered India to a 3-0 whitewash against a lowly Qatar in the Asian Games men's tennis competition, but got crashed out of the women's team event after being drubbed 0-3 by Indonesia in the first round, here today.
Rastogi gave India a blistering start with a 6-1 6-1 demolition of Al Mutawa Jabor Mohammed in 46 minutes, before Somdev showed equally ruthless approach in brushing aside Zayed Mousa Shanon in 38 minutes in the centre court of the Aoti Tennis centre.
Somdev later combined forces with Sanam Singh and outclassed Zayid Mubarak Shannan and Al Haretth Abdulrahman Ali 6-0 6-1 to complete the rout.
Rastogi, who served two second-set aces and hit 15 service winners in all, broke his Qatar rival Al Mutawa in the second game of the first set but was broken back immediately.
However, he picked up his pace soon after to go 3-1 up with his second service break and then did not drop a single game to win the opening set 6-1 in 22 minutes.
The Indian player grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second set before he dropped his serve, but then surged to take the next three games for the set and match.
Thereafter, 25-year-old Indian No 1 singles player Somdev, ranked 106 in the world, fired an ace each in the two sets and hit 16 service winners.
After clinching the opening set in only 16 minutes, Somdev allowed his rival to hold his serve once before closing out the second in 22 minutes. PTI
