First of all a Qualified 'apology' to members for besmirching the fair name of our Forum...Please read fully for detailed explanation...
Now on to the report, as usual KR stealing the show and taking front stage...
Hoping that courts will be damaged as usual, I had full quota of my brunch and reached the stadium at 10:30 am... And I was once again disappointed to see the match in full flow... With KR trailing 20 and DI serving (karan losing his very first service game, second game of the match)..
After stupendous performance yday, Karan got the centre court (or Court 1 as it is called)
Game 3 - As soon as I walked in, Karan got a boost of energy and quickly had a BP on DI's serve...But DI’s big serving got him out of trouble, who was able to hold serve for a quick 3-0 lead… Looks like these was going to be a long day….
Game 4 – ‘Ace’ - First Ace I have seen from Karan (may be he had others but this was the first one.. Dominating service game .. Win love game 1-3…
Game 5 – DI holds serve 40-15 --- 1-4. At this point, my blood is boiling as I see there are three Uzbeks cheering for DI and making more noise than rest of the gallery combined…
Game 6 – Karan settling into Groove … Holds serve easily 2-4
Game 7 – DI is very solid with deep big serves --- 2-5
Game 8 – Two quick DF from KR and is looking at quick end to first set at 15-30 …After evening at 30-30… Hits a ball long BP and Karan is really looking flustered… Even in dire situations yday, I didn’t see this reaction from KR… But with two good serves, which DI hit out, KR quickly takes it to deuce and holds serve.. 3-5… At this point there is some very loud cheering from the Gallery …
Game 9 – DI gets into trouble at love 30… But with ‘ACE’ and great serving, he digs himself out of the hole and takes the first set…
First Set – One break of serve proved to be expensive… And KR even though got few break chances, was not able to take advantage as DI with some big serving managed to win… One felt at this point that KR has to do something with DI’s serve or the match will be over quickly…
Till around mid first set, I was a ‘Model’ Tennis fan following the Etiquettes of cheering to cheer only Winners from KR… Then i saw the UZBEKS cheering.. That 3 Uzbeks come to my city and have guts to make more noise for DI than the Indians did for KR really irritated me
… Further the fact that Uzbek group was cheering even KR’s errors, got my blood boiling 
and I thought ‘****’ the Tennis etiquettes 
and started cheering every point that KR won, whether it was a winner or unforced error from DI (though didn’t take it that far that I was cheering for DFs)… And hence the apology to all fair minded forum members at the beginning.. Though I am hopin that group is a very big minority...
Second Set
Game 1 – KR holds serve easily
Game 2 – With the help of great return, KR races quickly to 15-40 and two BPs.. But KR who was perfect in converting BPs yesterday, was somehow not that good in converting BPs .. DI’s big serve had something to do with that…DI with big serve manages to hold serve
Game 3 – With lucky net chord for a winner, an awesome Inside outside FH (IOFH) winner and smart drop shot holds his serve at love --- 2-1
Game 4 – Again KR troubles DI with his deep return… Yesterday, KR’s return game was not that impressive, but today against a big serving DI, his return game was impressive…Using a FH winner and deep return, has another BP… But as if fate was mocking KR, When KR was dominating the rally on DI’s weak second serve replay was called (as ball trickled in from adj. Court)… DI with two fresh set of serves, served an ace to take it to deuce.. This seemed to have burst KR’s balloon as he quickly lost that game… 2-2
Game 5 – And then a drop shot of the match.. When KR from the baseline hit a great drop shot of his sliced back hand, which just cleared the net… And with a good second serve to the body of DI was able to win this game… 3-2
Game 6 – Now Karan was really in a flow.. With a good return and moving in quickly to kill the volley he goes up 0-30… And then DI hit a ball long to give KR his first break…4-2…
Game 7 – Easy service hold for Karan (at 15 game) to take 5-2 lead
Game 8 – Karan was just dominating DI at this point.. Starting with a great BH lob, Karan races to 0-40.. But DI with some intelligent serving and couple of rare KR errors, was able to get back to deuce.. And then hold serve with a great BH down the line.. 5-3… I was really worried that KR would have this missed opportunity ruin his mental composure..
Game 9 – As I feared, KR with an atrocious drop shot was quickly down a BP 30-40.. But DI helped him out with three straight errors to give KR the set…
Second set – KR towards the end of second set was displaying an attacking game, that was noticeably absent the first couple of days… His return of serve was at his best and one could get a feeling that this was KR’s match ... At this point, I was making so much noise cheering KR virtually every point that people were looking at me strangely… Srivaths who was also present feared that I will quickly lose my noise… But by God’s grace, I have been endowed with a healthy voice and I was really screaming at the top of my head…And hope that it stays that way for another two days at least…
Third set…
Whatz up with this Bathroom break… DI taking a BB.. letting Karan stew in the hot sun…
Game 1 – With the strength of BB, starts with an ace and holds serve (40-30 game)
Game 2 – Now BB seem to have affected KR who with two errors is in a big hole 15-40… That’s when KR came up with a good serve and DI’s FH error to take it to deuce.. And then the longest rally of the match which went KR’s way when DI was not able to control KR’s low BH CC at the net and volleyed wide… Advantage KR… And quickly wraps up Game 2.. 1-1
Game 3 – Then the game of the match.. Karan was just returning very well at this point … This game went to deuce 5 times with Karan having 3 BPs and DI with an advantage and finally KR hit a perfectly timed lob which just clipped the baseline… Break Karan – 2-1..
Game 4 – KR was also now serving well, though he wasn’t getting any free points out of his serve… But his serves were deep and well directed… Love game for KR – 3-1
Game 5 – AT this point DI looks exhausted and one could sense the end was near… But DI quickly went ahead 40-0 and was able to hold serve (40-30) --- 3-2.
Game 6 – KR got an unlucky break when his FH was called long and I am sure spot cam would have vindicated KR, but KR quickly got down 15-40 after couple of errors… And was broken.. 3-3..
Game 7- Now DI had a fresh lease of life.. But KR was still returning great and he had another BP at 30-40.. Then KR dominates a rally but when it came to finishing the deal, hits the BH DL just wide… Deuce..This game again went to 3-4 deuces before DI was able to hold serve.. 3-4 (DI was leading)
Game 8 – Now KR to the shock of spectators had two consecutive DFs… But with an aid of a beautiful FH DL winner and another deep BH CC evens the game and holds serve to even the third set…
Game 9 – All this time DI’s serve has been losing venom and he was really struggling on the court… KR definitely looked fresher of the two, but two 3 setters yday should have been preying on his mind (it was definitely on his coach’s mind who was really worried)… With some great return of serve and Deep ground strokes Karan quickly races to love-40 and breaks DI love game to take 5-4 lead..
Game 10 – At this time writing was on the wall for the Uzbek and Karan had an easy service game (40-15) to win the set 64 and match 36 63 64… (2 hours and 4 minutes)
Third Set
Was just a pleasure to watch… KR was really dominating this set… And never looking in trouble even when DI broke him back to even the set… His ground strokes carried lot more venom as he was hitting them more deeper and return was just awesome though there were no winners on return… The only worrying factor is the ‘FATIGUE’… With three three setters in two days and some long matches last week, can he quickly get back ready for Semis tomorrow again Capkovic who reached the SF of French open junior few years back…
Just had a brief conversation with KR who Thanked me profusely for the cheering and also mentioned that it pumped him up a lot… Capkovic has really big serves and would be a very tough opponent for KR tomorrow...
