India’s win in the nail-biting Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands was as much an accomplishment of Suresh Dhakshineswar as that of Indian Tennis, since the entire pressure of the deciding match was on his shoulders. The 25-year-old garnered performances in both singles matches and in doubles winning and rekindled a feeling of belief for India, though.
India’s 3-2 Davis Cup Win followed Dhakshineswar Suresh’s Exploits
It was Suresh’s second Davis Cup appearance, one he will never forget. With the tie standing at 2-2 having focused on the emotional moment of a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Guy de Ouden, a stunned team engulfed him immediately.
The added weight that India has been able to bring in Davis Cup is very much testified to by her plucking up an unbelievable victory against the sixth-ranked team. The Dutch, deprived of their top singles pros Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp, were already on shaky ground, but India still made a kill. Suresh made them pull it off.
A Rare Triple-Win That Revives Classic Memories
A triple-win performance by Suresh will remain in the hearts for a long time. He opened the weekend with a singles win, paired up with Yuki Bhambri to win the doubles, and closed it with a win in the decisive rubber. It was a moment of fruition from the player ranked 465 in singles.
Memories are etched deep in the minds of Indian fans when Leander Paes, the tennis hero of myriad major tournaments, won all three rubbers in a tie against Japan for a similar feat. More than two decades later, Suresh’s all-court resilience and optimism cried out for a new clutch presence in the game for India: on foreign soil, in tight situations.
The impact does not extend to only one tie. India beat Switzerland while on the road last year, and so this victory builds on that momentum against seasoned European teams. Consistency is too often the thin blue line determining if a team qualifies or stalls. India found it when they needed it.
Bhambri-Suresh Outlast Pel-Arends in Marathon Doubles
At 1-1 halfway through the day, the pressure was on the doubles teams. Captain Rohit Rajpal made a bold decision, bringing in Suresh to partner Bhambri instead of N Sriram Balaji. This broke the back of the opposition as home pair defeated David Pel and Sander Arends: 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1).
The first set, a nerve-check, had its ups and downs, particularly as Bhambri fought back an all-out assault on his service in the seesaw seventh game. At eight games all, the set climaxed into a tie-break, when it was the Indians who sauntered through, the score as one-sided as 7-0. An angled pass from Suresh and a clean return from Bhambri turned the momentum into the Indian pair’s favor too.
The Dutch appeared very promising in the second set with the help of fall in Bhambri’s first-serve success. With a crisp volley return, Arends broke, and Pel converted to get the set all square. With the heat on, the hosts did not fall back.
The final set was a real war. On breaks, the Indians threatened much more, but their most ferocious strikes from the baseline mattered the most. Russia served big when it mattered; Suresh saved a break point with a composed first serve. Late on, Arends was receiving treatment for his left hand, and the tie-breaker turned into a 7-1 for the Indians.
Reversing singles: Nagal Surrenders and Yet Arjun Perserveres
Having seemed firmly on the course after bagging the first set from Jesper de Jong, Sumit Nagal, who was fighting very hard throughout the match, could not handle Dutch world number 88 hitting deep and maintaining his game plan and eventually lost the encounter 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 after nearly three hours.
The added pressure was felt by India as a result of that loss, setting the stage for Suresh-the trump card of Rajpal-to come on. After surviving three hours of both victories and losses in the doubles tie, his energy seemed to have accented instead of waned for the decider match.
Most of the fifth rubber contests see teams decided by fresh legs, but in this case, it was an incredibly fresh mindset. Suresh wiped his mental slate clean and trusted his serve and made sure he stayed within margins with his percentages. Many moments of brilliance that showed composure, not power. For the visiting team, the home crowd fed his belief at key moments.
How Suresh Won the Decider Against Guy de Ouden
For Suresh, his serve was a sledgehammer: it destroyed de Ouden with 15 aces and was used to control rallies with a first-strike mentality. He broke serve in the seventh game of the first set, thanks to some unforced errors sprayed by de Ouden’s backhand. An ace silenced it on his second break point as Suresh held by 6-4.
The De Oude forehand looked stronger on the second set. Suresh picked up his game when it matteredmost and was 4-all. Dutchman held a mighty serve. Suresh created panic among the Dutch and pressed hard against a short return, yet had to contain the fervor in satisfaction.
Serving at 5-4, de Oude faced a full-fledged challenge from Suresh due to some pressure on this backhand and a ball-to-ball rally at his return. De Oude remained focused during the tie-break. Good serving and hitting really made the difference in pushing him to victory, 7-6 (4).
The final forehand was telling. Strong conviction over wariness. Suresh stepped, encroached on time, and let the winner loose. Moments later, he was on the ground with all his teammates piling on, as the tie was decided. This is as good a passage as can be written about a player coming of age on a grand stage.
What the Result Means for India and the Road Ahead
With this victory, India was put into Qualifiers Round 2 for the first time since the inception of the current Davis Cup structure, paving their path into the Finals, while also providing an opportunity for the less-known players to prove their mettle. Next up for India could be a duel against South Korea on courts with vastly different playing characteristics, challenging the team’s ability to adapt quickly.
India’s strengths lay in their tactical awareness. The doubles pair of Suresh and Bhanbri was a dangerous duo; the former had the serve of a volleyball setter and the power of a baseliner, while the latter was at the net. Occupying their positions consistently under pressure gave India a combat team. On the singles court, any return of Suresh’s serve that he could win would have to beat him twice because once he started directing his somewhat oddly looking forehands, easy points in the here and now often followed.
Suresh, having moved up the ranks from 465, set out on a career diverging course. No team can easily clinch three victories out of its three wins in Indian Davis Cup history. This will give new hope for the larger game as in unknown chances new leaders emerge easily for what seemingly does not belong to them. As it simply creates yet another beautiful storyline for fans, coming matchups thus sum up well.
If one considers the present intensity and smart selection continuing to shine in future, the nations, with their superior rankings, might otherwise find some trouble in the game against it. It remains to be seen how things pan out from here. Suresh reigns; Yuki would use his tennis intelligence, while the fighting spirit inside Nagal would find expression. Oftentimes, the more ingenious is the plan, the more tougher it becomes to translate.
