India missed an opportunity to join the elite teams in Davis Cup World Group 2018 as Ramkumar Ramanathan failed to win the decisive fourth rubber of the play-off against Canda's teenage sensation Denis Shapovalov on Sunday, September 17.
Canada took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the world group play-off tie after world number 51, Shapovalov 3-6, 6-7 (1), 2-6 win over 154th-ranked Ramanathan at the Northlands Coliseum.
Later in the day, India's Yuki Bhambri, who had faced a heartbreaking defeat against Shapovalov in the tightly fought second-rubber on Friday, September 15, fought back to defeat Brayden Schnur to fetch a consolation win for the visiting team.
Notably, India started the play-off against Canada on a strong note as Ramanathan had beaten Schnur 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5, 7-5 in the opening rubber on Friday. Shapovalov though made it 1-1 after outclassing Bhambri.
Shapovalov shows his class
India's hopes were pinned on their singles players as 22-year-old Ramanathan had been in fine form in the recent past as he had outclassed the likes of world number seven Dominic Thiem (Antalya) and Dusan Lajovic (Cincinnati Masters).
Bhambri, 25, on the other hand, was in imperious form, having taken out Gael Monfils, Guido Pella in Washington in the lead-up to US Open 2017.
However, Shapovalov, who had stunned world number one Rafael Nadal in Montreal, stepped up in the absence of Canada's top-ranked star Milos Raonic, who missed the tie with injury.
See you soon, World Group 2018! #GoCanada ??? pic.twitter.com/ePk6YwijT4
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) September 18, 2017
India's experienced campaigner Rohan Bopanna failed to deliver in the all-important doubles rubber on Saturday as he along with Purav Raja lost to Canada's Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
India now have been absent from the World Group for seven successive years.
