Aqeel Khan Strikes back to level Davis Cup tie on day 1
Aqeel khan defeated Uzbek player Sanjar Fayziev to level the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I tie at one-all played on the grass courts of Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.
In the first set, both the players played extremely well but Sanjar edges out Aqeel Khan by 7-6(6). Both the players hold their serves as the story remains the same like first encounter between Aisam and Denis and the set was leveled on 6-6. On tie break Aqeel won the first point but Uzbek player took lead by winning 2 points. Khan once again grabbed one point but Sanjar Fayziev played equally good game as he wins 3 back to back points to take 5-2 lead.
At that stage Khan won another 2 points and made it 5-4 but Uzbek player won another point to make it 6-4. Aqeel Khan did not give-up as he bagged two more points and leveled the match to 6-6 but Sanjar Fayziev then won 2 back to back points and won the hard fought first set by 7-6(6).
Aqeel was in a good nick and he continued his aggressive approach in the second set to win the second set by 6-4 and level the game to 1-1. Both the players held their first serves but Khan breaks the third serve of Sanjar to take 2-1 lead as the service costs Sanjar Fayziev second set as Aqeel did not allow him to break any of his serve.
The match entered into the third and final set where both the players started the match watchfully and held their first serves to make it 1-1. Aqeel once again repeated the story and breaks the third serve of Sanjar and get the lead by 2-1. Sanjar tried hard to equalize and at the 9th serve, he won back to back three points and made it 40-0 for Aqeel but Khan roared back to win the 5 consecutive points and leave Sanjar Fayziev helpless as he lost the match 7-6(6), 4-6, 4-6. The hard fought match lasted for 2 hours 25 minutes.
Both the sides ended the day 1-all after the completion of 2 matches in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I. Duo of Aisam ul Haq and Aqeel Khan to face Uzbek players Sanjar Fayziev and Jurabek Karimov in the first doubles match tomorrow at 9.30am followed by the match between Aqeel Khan and Denis Istomin and if needed Aisam Ul haq to play against Sanjar Fayziev in the last tie.
