Debutant Vivek Shokeen upset Pakistan captain Aisam Qureshi to lead India to a 2-1 victory in the final leg of the four-Test inaugural tennis series in New Delhi on Sunday.
Karan Rastogi won the second singles while the top Pakistani duo of Qureshi and Aqeel Khan won the doubles as India drew the series 2-2.
"It's thrilling to beat Aisam," said the 19-year-old, playing in his hometown. "It's been a lucky debut for me."
Shokeen, world No. 702, came to the party as he crushed an exhausted Qureshi 6-3, 6-2 in the first singles of the Delhi tie.
"I was tired but full credit to him," said the Pakistani captain later. "He played the big points better. I wasn't able to serve properly because my legs were tired and heavy and couldn't really push the ball through."
With his serve (2 aces, six double faults) deserting him, Qureshi never got going against the 19-year-old, who took advantage of the below-par showing and kept his nerve to sustain the momentum.
After going on serve till 3-3, Shokeen won three games in a row. Down 3-5, Qureshi didn't get a single return in and conceded the ninth game without a fight.
"I didn't want to think anything after the first set. I returned well today, Aisam was a little tired and I wanted to keep pushing hard. I had nothing to lose so I went for my shots."
The Indian, playing his first match of the series and for India, came into the second set pumped up and won nine points in a row to get an early lead. Volleys were the only redeeming feature of Qureshi's game on Sunday, but Shokeen passed him regularly in the second set with the Pakistani unable to chase down the balls.
Shokeen rolled through the second set in 26 minutes, taking it 6-2 to blot Qureshi's impressive record against the Indians. The youngster was pushed into the tie after India's top-ranked player Rohan Bopanna was left out due to fever and fatigue.
Rastogi maintained his stranglehold over Aqeel Khan, beating him for the third time in a row during the series. The Indian won the second singles 6-2, 6-2 to decide the tie in India's favour.
Rastogi and Aqeel exchanged early breaks in the first set, but Rastogi won four straight games after 2-2. With both the players sticking to the baseline and moving well, there were long drawn rallies but the Indian scored due to better serve and control.
The second set was also blandly one-sided as Rastogi cruised through with an early break to take it 6-2.
In the inconsequential doubles, Qureshi-Aqeel beat Divij Sharan and Purav Raja 6-3, 6-3.
