India's Davis Cup 2022, World Group I campaign started on a disastrous note on Friday with Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan losing their respective singles matches at the Hakons Hall, Lillehammer. (More Tennis News)
Both the Indians lost in identical fashion: Gunneswaran to Casper Ruud and Ramanathan to Viktor Durasovic in straight sets.
World No. 2 Casper Ruud expectedly was too good for Prajnesh Gunneswaran as the US Open finalist raced to a 6-1, 6-4 win in the first singles.
Ruud, who lost to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain on Monday in the Flushing Meadows final, turned up for national duty four days later and did the job with relative ease for his team. He took one and two minutes to beat the 335-ranked Indian.
Advertisement
In the second singles match, 224-ranked Viktor Durasovic produced equally emphatic tennis to tame India number one Ramkumar Ramanathan (276) in one hour and 18 minutes to give Norway a 2-0 lead.
On Saturday. Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni will take on Ruud and Durasovic in the crucial doubles rubber.
The two reverse singles, Ruud vs Ramanathan and Durasovic vs Gunneswaran, are also scheduled for Saturday.
