Rohan Bopanna overcame age, ranking and tendonitis to beat debutant Kei Nishikori in a marathon five-setter and give India a 1-0 lead over Japan in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zonal second round tie at the R K Khanna tennis stadium in Delhi on Friday.

In a match lasting 118 minutes, the 325-ranked Bopanna, playing his 15th Davis Cup match, survived several anxious moments before putting it across the 118-ranked teenager 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

Photographs: AFP/Getty Images

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