The crowd watching Tuesday’s tennis as Somdev Devvarman defeated Marin Cilic at the Legg Mason Classic probably wasn’t quite as loud as the one that had cheered on every point the last time the two players met in Chennai, but even in Washington, the Indian had his own band of noisy supporters.

Spending his collegiate life at the nearby University of Virginia, playing his way to two consecutive NCAA titles, and performing a few Dave Matthews Band covers in local restaurants occasionally, makes the area one in which he should be well known, and sure enough, his bunch of acquaintances filled up the stadium on Tuesday to witness his big win.

“I would like to believe the crowd was rooting for me. I went to school nearby and there were friends of mine in the stands,” said Devvarman after he knocked out the sixth seed 7-5 6-4 for his first victory over a top-20 player — a result magnified in importance when measured against the forgettable run the Indian has had since Chennai. On Tuesday, his first serve percentage read a healthy 62 per cent, and though Cilic tried his best to put pressure on the Indian, Devvarman managed to save five out of seven break points.

‘I was inspired’

“It’s a step in the right direction. I’ve been playing well and the US hardcourt season is one I always enjoy. This is an important win for me, and having played him before, I knew what to do, I was inspired. I learnt from the match in Chennai, I went in with confidence and I was motivated to do well. I knew I could beat him,” said the world No 153, who refused to be drawn into the ‘revenge’ theme against the player who denied him a title on his home turf.

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