India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh (PTI Photo)

BENGALURU: Late on Sunday, he helped give Indian tennis something to dream about, but the last eight months themselves have been something out of a dream for Dhakshineswar Suresh.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A final year Communications student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, the 25-year-old, currently ranked 470 on the Tour, defeated seven players in the top-170 during the period. The biggest of those wins came over the weekend after he outplayed the Netherlands’ Jesper De Jong, a World No. 88, in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1. Dominant service games and powerful groundstrokes caught everybody’s attention. There was more to come.As Sunday slipped into the next day, Suresh became the toast of the nation when he powered India into the second round of qualifiers with a famous win over Guy den Ouden in the decider. It was his booming serve that did the trick as he went on hammer 15 aces in the decisive fifth rubber, and ensured that India will now meet South Korea away in the second round of Davis Cup qualifiers in September.

Sending down thunderbolts has become Suresh’s trademark, the result of years of consistent practice. He oils his smooth service motion daily, sending down around 50-100 serves in training.It helps that he stands 6 ft 6 inches in his socks. His height plays a big role, as the Madurai man enjoys a higher contact point to meet the ball at full extension. This creates a steeper angle, which adds greater pace as it leaves the racquet. “I put my height to use and I work on my strengths. I try to get a basket of serves daily in training. It is always about the consistency,” said Suresh, who had enjoyed one of his best serving days last month against Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic with 20 aces in the first round of the Bengaluru Open ATP 125 Challenger.“When I get into crucial moments, I tell myself that I did this a million times in training, so it is just another ball that I am going to hit. The serve is about practice, day in and out. That is how I trust myself on the serve,” he explained.Although the speed gun was unavailable in his last three tournaments he has competed in Bengaluru — World Tennis League, Bengaluru Open and Davis Cup — it was easy to see the ball fly off his racquet. His flat, powerful serve pushed opponents on the backfoot, which created an opening for him to close points.And even when his first serve deserts him, Suresh possesses a potent second kick serve that jumps sharply off the court. It is little wonder then that he recorded 33 aces and just six double faults across three singles matches in the Davis Cup. He had defeated Jerome Kym, ranked 155 then, of Switzerland, in his Davis Cup debut in Biel last year.India’s non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal shed more light on what he called a “gifted serve”. “Suresh has got a beautiful whip on his serve, which is difficult to achieve unless you have a loose stance and swing. He has a beautiful service motion, and that is why he gets great speed too. He has a very gifted serve. Not every tall player can serve well,” he said.Besides his serve, Suresh is also comfortable at the net, a skill sharpened through doubles play in college tennis. It was evident when Suresh paired with Yuki Bhambri in the doubles against the Dutch.A big test awaits Suresh on the Tour once he completes his degree in May. “I’ll finish my studies in the US, then come down in May and figure out my schedule. Once sorted, I’ll start getting into the Tour and prepare for the next Davis Cup,” he said.

India’s Sumit Nagal (PTI Photo)

Bengaluru: Injuries are an inevitable part of an athlete’s journey, often testing not just the body but the mind as well. Even after the physical recovery is complete, questions about fitness and confidence can linger. Sumit Nagal is navigating a similar phase after sustaining a minor hip tear at the ATP Challenger 75 event in Thailand last month.The injury came at an inopportune time for the India No. 1, with the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1 tie against the Netherlands set to begin at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium here on Saturday. Following a solid rehabilitation process, the 28-year-old has gradually increased the intensity of his training, which was visible over the past three days at the Cubbon Park courts. On Thursday, the Haryana player took part in practice matches against teammate Dhakshineswar Suresh, followed by Sidharth Rawat, before wrapping up with a short doubles session.Nagal looked comfortable throughout the session, which lasted over two hours. The practice session was his way of testing his fitness levels ahead of the crucial tie against the formidable Dutch team, led by World No. 88 Jesper de Jong.“I haven’t played a match since Bangkok, so we’re trying to push in practice. Tomorrow (Friday) will be another step — try and play as many sets as possible to see how my body reacts. That’s why you play practice matches. It was a very good day for me today. Everything felt good, and I’m looking forward to playing for India,” said Nagal, whose groundstrokes brought cheer to non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal, who was at courtside.When asked if he was ready to go full throttle, Nagal added: “Yes, if I step on the court, I can’t think 80 or 90 percent. I have to go as hard as possible.”Since the injury, Nagal has spent considerable time working with physio Yash Pandey to get himself match fit for the Davis Cup challenge. Currently ranked 281 on the ATP Tour, he has been pushing himself to reach peak fitness, though the past few weeks have been mentally and physically demanding.“You take it day by day. Every morning, you don’t know if you’re going to feel sore, how you’re feeling, or how much load you can take. Those thoughts were there throughout the three weeks after the injury — even yesterday, even today. Is it going to be okay or not? The fear is always there when you’re coming back from an injury,” he said.Nagal, who began his pre-season training in the city in December, has spent most of his time on the hard courts here. Alongside Suresh, he featured in the World Tennis League and the Bengaluru Open in the last two months. The Indian ace, who achieved a career-high ATP ranking of 68 in July 2024, also backed the decision to host the tie in Bengaluru.“De Jong and Guy den Ouden are both very good clay court players. They’ve done extremely well on clay, so I think choosing Bengaluru was a good decision,” Nagal said.