Bengaluru, Feb 8: Dhakshineswar Suresh capped a breakthrough Davis Cup performance by clinching the decisive fifth rubber to hand India a memorable 3-2 win over the Netherlands and seal the country’s place in the Qualifiers Round 2, underlining his rapid rise as the hosts’ new match-winner, here Sunday. Playing only his second Davis Cup tie, the 25-year-old — fondly known as DK — delivered an extraordinary three-win haul, claiming both his singles rubbers and combining with Yuki Bhambri to win the doubles, a rare feat in Indian Davis Cup history and one that evokes memories of Leander Paes’ heroic effort against Japan in 2004. Back then, Paes had swept all three matches he played — two singles and the doubles — single-handedly steering India to victory.More than two decades later, Dhakshineswar, ranked as low as 465, produced a similarly defining performance, shouldering the pressure in the deciding rubber against Guy de Ouden, winning 6-4 7-6 (4) to emerge as India’s new Davis Cup hero.
As he hit the tie-ending forehand winner, Dhakshineswar fell on his back. His teammates rushed to hug him and then carried him on their shoulders, celebrating a rare consecutive success against European sides.
India had beaten Switzerland last year in their own den.The Netherlands missed their top two singles players — world number 29 Tallon Griekspoor and world number 67 Botic van de Zandschulp — and it allowed India, ranked as low as 33 in Davis Cup rankings, a fighting chance, and they grabbed it with both hands, beating the world number six team.This is the first time India have made it to the second round of the Qualifiers since the new Davis Cup format was launched in 2019, getting a step closer to the elite eight-team Finals. They are likely to meet Korea next.Beginning the day tied 1-1, Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineswar prevailed in a marathon doubles rubber, outlasting David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6(0) 3-6, 7-6 (1) to put India ahead 2-1. Sumit Nagal had a one-set advantage but lost 7-5 1-6 4-6 to world number 88 Jesper de Jong in an energy-sapping reverse singles that lasted nearly three hours. This was Nagal’s second defeat in the tie, having lost opening singles.Captain Rohit Rajpal had called Dhakshineswar his “trump card” and he did not disappoint, producing a superlative show.Despite having spent close to three hours on court earlier in the day alongside Bhambri in the doubles, Dhakshineswar showed no signs of fatigue as he came out firing on all cylinders.The Indian’s big serve remained his biggest weapon. He fired 15 aces in the match. The Indian seized the initiative in the opening set, earning his first break in the seventh game when De Ouden committed consecutive backhand errors. Dhakshineswar had a set point in the ninth game after the Dutchman missed a backhand return, but the chance slipped away. He made no mistake in the following game, though, sealing the set with an ace on his second set point.De Ouden attempted to stay in the contest, saving a break point with a running forehand winner in the fifth game of the second set. However, Dhakshineswar struck again at 4-4, capitalising on his next opportunity before serving out the tie.The Indian was briefly tested in the 10th game as his serve came under pressure, but he held firm to make it 5-5. The set eventually stretched into a tie-break, where Dhakshineswar’s composure and firepower proved decisive as he closed out the match to complete a stunning victory for the hosts.Earlier, the doubles contest swung repeatedly for three hours. Captain Rajpal’s call to bring in Dhakshineswar in place of N Sriram Balaji for the high-stakes doubles proved decisive, as the home pair held their nerve to prevail. The opening set turned into a stern test of patience and resolve. Bhambri’s serve was under sustained pressure, particularly in the seventh game when his first serve deserted him.A double fault at 30-all handed the Dutch a break point, but Bhambri responded with deep, probing returns to snuff out the threat.Dhakshineswar then missed a regulation backhand volley on game point, and Arends’ awkward yet effective overhead smash aimed at his legs earned the visitors another break chance.Once again, the Indian pair survived, Dhakshineswar showing deft touch at the net before Arends finally erred with a long return to end a prolonged game.India earned its first break opportunity in the following game when Dhakshineswar threaded a forehand winner between Pel and Arends at 30-all, but the Dutch pair escaped. Bhambri was once again under siege in the 11th game, as the Indians faced five break points before somehow holding on, drawing loud cheers from the home crowd.With neither side able to force a breakthrough, the set went into a tie-break, where the Indians suddenly found another gear. Bhambri and Dhakshineswar raced to a 4-0 lead and closed it out without dropping a point, highlighted by Dhakshineswar’s sharply-angled passing winner and Bhambri’s clean service return winner at 5-0.The momentum, however, shifted in the second set. Left-handed Pel struggled initially with his first serve, serving two double faults in the third game, but the Indians failed to capitalise.Bhambri’s first-serve troubles resurfaced, and another double fault handed the Netherlands a crucial break opportunity. Arends converted with a crisp backhand volley return winner, opening up a 4-2 lead. Pel consolidated the break as the visitors tightened their grip, levelling the match at one set apiece.The deciding set was a battle of attrition. India had multiple chances to break early, most notably when Pel fell to 0-40 after serving two double faults and Bhambri lasered a return winner, but the home pair squandered all three opportunities. Dhakshineswar then showed composure under pressure to save a break point in the next game. India continued to push, creating chances on Pel’s serve again in the eighth game, with Dhakshineswar producing two exquisite return winners, only for the Dutch to escape yet again.Arends too came under pressure at 0-30 in his following service game.The turning point came when Arends took a medical timeout for treatment on his left hand, with his little and ring fingers taped. From there, the Dutch player struggled to serve with the same effectiveness, allowing the Indians to finally seize control and close out the match.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/