But the experienced combo came up with some intelligent and aggressive tennis that had seen them rise to No.1 in the rankings. The team broke Iwabuchi's serve once each in the third and fourth set to carry India through.
The team looked in a spot of bother when they were down 15-40 on Bhupathi's serve in the seventh game of the third set. Suzuki let go a first serve, which he thought was long, to give India the little opening to come back into the game and the set.
"That point was very important," said Suzuki. "I thought the ball was long and stopped my return motion. But the umpire said it was in; these things happen in the game, it's not the umpire's fault. That did change things for us a little bit."
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India, who haven't featured in the World Group since 1998, last played in the World Group play-offs in 2005, when they went down 1-3 to Sweden in a rain-affected tie.
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