Bengaluru: India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Dhakshineswar Suresh announced himself as India’s newest Davis Cup match-winner on Sunday, sealing a stirring 3-2 victory over the Netherlands by clinching the decisive fifth rubber and guiding the hosts into Qualifiers Round 2. In just his second Davis Cup appearance, the 25-year-old delivered a performance that will be remembered for years. Dhakshineswar won both his singles matches and partnered Yuki Bhambri to victory in the doubles, completing a rare three-win haul in a single tie for India. The feat inevitably drew comparisons with Leander Paes’ legendary heroics against Japan in 2004, when Paes single-handedly won two singles and the doubles to carry India through. More than 20 years later, Dhakshineswar produced a similarly defining moment. Ranked as low as 465, he held his nerve under immense pressure in the final rubber against Guy de Ouden, winning 6-4, 7-6 (4). As his final forehand winner landed in, Dhakshineswar collapsed onto his back before being engulfed by teammates and lifted onto their shoulders, the celebrations marking another memorable European scalp for India. India had begun the tie as underdogs but found an opening when the Netherlands arrived without their top two singles players, world number 29 Tallon Griekspoor and world number 67 Botic van de Zandschulp. The absence gave India, ranked 33 in the Davis Cup standings, a genuine opportunity and they seized it, defeating the world number six team. The win also carried historic significance. It marked the first time India have reached the second round of the Qualifiers since the revamped Davis Cup format was introduced in 2019, moving them a step closer to the elite eight-team Finals. Korea are expected to be their next opponents. The tie was delicately poised at 1-1 at the start of Sunday’s play. Dhakshineswar and Bhambri then edged a gripping doubles contest, outlasting David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) to give India a 2-1 lead. The match lasted nearly three hours and swung repeatedly before the home pair held their nerve in both tie-breaks. Sumit Nagal had a chance to close out the tie in the first reverse singles but could not capitalise. After taking the opening set, he went down 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 to world number 88 Jesper de Jong in a physically draining contest that stretched close to three hours. It was Nagal’s second loss of the tie, having also fallen in the opening singles. That left the responsibility squarely on Dhakshineswar, whom captain Rohit Rajpal had described as his “trump card”. Despite having already spent close to three hours on court earlier in the day in the doubles, Dhakshineswar showed no signs of fatigue as he walked out for the deciding rubber. His serve once again proved decisive. Dhakshineswar struck 15 aces and consistently dictated play behind his delivery. He earned the crucial break in the opening set in the seventh game when De Ouden committed back-to-back backhand errors. Although Dhakshineswar missed a set point in the ninth game, he regrouped immediately and sealed the set with an ace on his second chance. The second set was tighter. De Ouden fought hard to stay alive, saving a break point in the fifth game with a running forehand winner. Dhakshineswar broke again at 4-4 but then faced pressure while serving out the match, only to hold firm and force a tie-break. There, his composure and power stood out as he pulled away to close out the contest and complete a memorable win for the hosts. Earlier in the day, the doubles match had set the tone for India’s success. Rajpal’s bold decision to field Dhakshineswar in place of N Sriram Balaji for the high-stakes rubber proved inspired. The opening set was a test of patience. Bhambri’s serve came under sustained pressure, particularly in a long seventh game that featured multiple break points. Despite double faults and missed chances, the Indian pair survived, aided by Dhakshineswar’s sharp work at the net. Neither side could force a breakthrough, and the set went to a tie-break. There, the Indians suddenly surged ahead, racing to a 4-0 lead and closing it out without conceding a point, highlighted by a sharply angled passing winner from Dhakshineswar and a clean return winner from Bhambri. Momentum shifted in the second set as the Netherlands tightened up. Bhambri’s first-serve struggles returned, and the visitors secured a crucial break to level the match. The deciding set became a battle of endurance. India created several early opportunities, including a 0-40 opening on Pel’s serve, but failed to convert. Dhakshineswar then saved a break point in the next game, keeping India alive. More chances came and went before a turning point arrived when Arends took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his left hand. From that moment, his serve dipped, and the Indians finally seized control, closing out the match in the tie-break to put India within one win of victory. Dhakshineswar ensured there was no delay after that, delivering under pressure to script one of India’s most memorable Davis Cup wins in recent years.

Dhakshineswar Suresh once again showed why he is quickly becoming India’s trusted man in tennis, as he helped the hosts bounce back against the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Qualifiers first round in Bengaluru on Saturday.

After India lost the opening round in a closely fought match between Sumit Nagal and Guy den Ouden, the pressure was firmly on Suresh to level the tie. The 25-year-old Indian responded in style, defeating Dutch No. 1 Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5 in under 90 minutes on a bright and breezy afternoon.

With that win, India leveled the scores at 1-1, keeping the tie alive heading into Sunday’s decisive matches, where Nagal will face De Jong and Suresh will lock horns against Den Ouden.

A calm performance under pressure

Suresh’s performance was built around his biggest strength – his powerful serve. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, the right-hander used his height and reach to full advantage, firing down nine aces and conceding just one break point, which he saved comfortably.

“I think my big serves and big forehand troubled De Jong the most,” Suresh said after the match. “In conditions like Bengaluru, the high altitude makes the ball travel faster. It’s tough to control the ball when I’m hitting hard, and I felt I could keep him under pressure.”

This is not the first time Suresh has delivered for India on the big stage. He made his Davis Cup debut in 2025 during the World Group-1 tie against Switzerland. On that occasion, he beat Jerome Kym, who was ranked 155 at the time, to give India an early lead in the tie.

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Who is Dhakshineswar Suresh?

Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Suresh’s journey has not been an overnight success. He spent several years playing collegiate tennis in the United States, first representing Georgia Gwinnett College before moving to Wake Forest University. The experience helped him develop his physical game and all-court skills.

A major milestone in Suresh’s career came in 2024, when he made his ATP main draw debut at the Winston-Salem Open. He received a wildcard entry into the doubles main draw, partnering Luca Pow, which gave him his first opportunity to compete at the highest level of the men’s tour.

He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 465 on 2 February 2026. In doubles, he has enjoyed even more success, achieving a career-best ranking of No. 352 on 18 August 2025.

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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.