New Delhi, Sep 21 - Somdev Devvarman has said Rohan Bopanna's sensational victory over South Africa No.1 Rik De Voest on the opening day inspired him to stage a fight back and win the crucial reverse singles to take India to the elite World Group of Davis Cup tennis for the first time in 11 years.

Bopanna, who was coming back from a injury, upset De Voest to give India a 2-0 lead, after Somdev won the first rubber against Izak Van der Merwe Friday.

'Bopanna's win against Rik de Voest really inspired me. He played a brilliant game of tennis. He was out for three months due to knee injury and this was his first match on the big stage. He lost the first set, but stepped up in the other three sets. It took the pressure off me while I was playing Rik. In fact, Bopanna helped me play the way I played on Sunday,' said Somdev after returning to a rousing welcome here Monday.

'Bopanna gave us a 2-0 lead and then it was on me. We never lost the doubles tie for a long time so when I went to the fourth rubber, I knew it's going to be tough one,'

Somdev, who was down two sets and a break in the third, came back to beat De Voest in the first reverse singles.