Dhakshineswar Suresh is the toast of the Indian group after he clinched the Davis Cup tie towards the Netherlands.
| Picture Credit score: Okay. MURALI KUMAR
The final time India was among the many world elite within the Davis Cup was in 2011 when it was one in all 16 greatest nations within the World Group.
On Sunday on the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium right here, the nation returned to the high-table by beating Netherlands 3-2 within the Qualifiers first spherical.
Will probably be one in all 14 representatives within the Qualifiers second spherical to be held in September and is prone to meet South Korea. Seven from the second spherical will progress to the Davis Cup Finals and be a part of host Italy within the grand finale.
5 months in the past, if anybody had predicted {that a} yet-to-be-capped Dhakshineswar Suresh would lead India to the Promised Land, they might have been scoffed at. However the 25-year-old, of 6’5’’ body and gangly construct, performed an outsized function, successful each the doubles and reverse singles to go together with the singles win on the opening day.
It was harking back to the nice Leander Paes, who would efficiently play each singles and doubles, a feat the legend final achieved in 2004 away towards New Zealand.
Thrust into the doubles battle instead of Sriram Balaji, Dhakshineswar partnered Yuki Bhambri to beat Sander Arends and David Pel 7-6(0), 3-6, 7-6(1). Sumit Nagal’s 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 loss to Jesper de Jong pushed the tie right into a deciding contest however Dhakshineswar got here up with the products to outwit Man Den Ouden 6-4, 7-6(4).
The India group celebrates after successful the Davis Cup tie towards the Netherlands.
| Picture Credit score:
Okay. MURALI KUMAR
Credit score also needs to go to the Indian think-tank led by captain Rohit Rajpal which used Balaji as a decoy and performed the bluff with Dhakshineswar.
Belief was positioned within the latter’s serving capacity and his expertise taking part in doubles on the U.S. collegiate circuit. And the 25-year-old didn’t disappoint. The tone-setting efficiency was the doubles the place Dhakshineswar and Yuki mixed to beat two gamers ranked within the ATP top-40.
Within the first set, the Dutch pair had six break-points throughout two video games on the Yuki serve, however didn’t capitalise. Within the tie-breaker, they weren’t aggressive sufficient and paid the value.
Within the second stanza, nonetheless, the guests’ contact play discovered healthful expression. Arends, carrying fluorescent orange and sporting goggles, discovered the tennis to match his flashy appears, and executed a collection of breathtaking pictures to drag his group degree.
The decider was up and down, however took a nasty flip at 5-6 on the Pel serve when a fierce forehand from Yuki hit Arends’ left hand from shut vary. The 34-year-old took a medical time-out and got here again along with his little finger and ring finger tied collectively.
The serve toss was an issue, so was gripping the backhand. The match slipped right into a decisive tie-breaker however there was just one winner.
5 hours later that pleasure doubled.
Revealed – February 09, 2026 12:31 am IST
