Davis Cup qualifiers: India's Dhakshineswar Suresh seals epic win over Dutch

Bengaluru: Throwing everything in the tank onto the court, the final day of the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1 tie between India and the Netherlands turned into a physical slugfest between players at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium here. 

And after close to eight hours of trading blows, fighting to survive and gasping to hold their respective flags above the water, it was India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh who sizzled not once but twice to carry the hosts into the next round of the tournament in September. 

With the tie level at 1-1 at the end of the opening day, Dhakshineswar replaced Sriram Balaji to partner Yuki Bhambri for the doubles rubber. The duo got the ball rolling by beating David Pel/ Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) before Sumit Nagal got on to the court for the first reverse singles. India’s top singles player’s spirited performance, however, ended in a heartbreaking 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 loss to Jesper De Jong. 

It all came down to 6-feet-5 Dhakshineswar, once again, and for the third time in the contest, the Madurai man delivered to win the fifth rubber 6-4, 7-6 (4) over Guy Den Ouden to give India a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Dutch, the current world No. 6 and 2024 runner-up.

Earlier, the hope for the home team was ignited by Bhambri and Dhakshineswar. If the 33-year-old Bhambri was entrusted to lead from the back of the court, his younger partner Dhakshineswar donned the role of the finisher at the net and with the serve. On the other end, Pel anchored the team, setting up points while Arends’ deft volleys got the job done. 

Following both teams surviving their first scares on Bhambri’s and Arends’ servers, in the seventh and eighth games respectively, the four men stretched the first set to a tie-breaker where the Indians walloped 7-0 to go one up. Coming back and making amends, the Dutch needed just one break in the seventh game to close out the second set. 

Back to square all over again, the third set battle saw Bhambri’s and Arends’ service games targeted but remained unsuccessful, Dhanshineswar continued his barrage, Pel huffed and puffed but held fort. As a second tie-breaker ensued, the Indians grabbed hold of one rally at a time to win the three-hour contest and give India a point before passing the baton to Nagal.

Inspired by team-mates Bhambri and Dhakshineswar’s doubles show, Nagal came out on Sunday with more intent. Moving freely and hitting the ball clean, he broke De Jong in the first game before conceding his service game in the eighth. Capitalising on another break in the 11th, Nagal held to win the first set 7-5. 

The world No. 88 De Jong then forged his own comeback. Relying on making his opponent run from corner to corner and playing a few drop shots to take Nagal by surprise, the 25-year-old Dutchman stepped up to clinch the second set. 

Locking horns with every swing of the racquet, De Jong and Nagal traded as many as five breaks between them. As the clock neared the three-hour mark, the visitor who won a total of 100 points as compared to Nagal’s 87 survived to win the battle of minute margins. 

By now, at 2-2 on a Sunday night the stage was set for India’s new tennis find to shine. And the self-proclaimed ‘shy and introverted guy’ Dhakshineswar radiated under lights in what will go down as one of India’s most memorable Davis Cup victories. 

Result (day 2): India bt Netherlands: 3-2 (Doubles: Yuki Bhambri/ Dhakshineswar Suresh bt David Pel/ Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1); Reverse singles: Sumit Nagal lt to Jesper De Jong 7-5, 1-6, 4-6; Dhakshineswar bt Guy Den Ouden 6-4, 7-6 (4).