In Bengaluru, February 8, the Davis Cup qualifying match between India and the Netherlands is heading towards a winner-takes-all outcome after Sumit Nagal’s defeat in the reverse singles. This brought the visitors level at 2-2, effectively nullifying the advantage gained by Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineswar Suresh in the doubles, and making the fifth rubber a decisive showdown.
Nagal had a one-set advantage but lost 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 to world number 88 Jesper de Jong in a grueling three-hour reverse singles match.
With the tie now tied at 2-2, all eyes are on the fifth and final singles rubber, where India will be looking to Dhakshineswar Suresh to deliver again after his impressive victory over De Jong on Saturday. He will be facing Guy de Ouden, the Dutch debutant who defeated Nagal on Saturday.
Bhambri and Dhakshineswar Suresh had won a long doubles match, defeating David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1), giving India a 2-1 lead.
Nagal had a good start, breaking world number 88 De Jong in the first game, playing well and minimizing unforced errors. However, the Indian gradually lost control as De Jong won three consecutive games to take a 5-4 lead.
De Jong broke Nagal in the eighth game after the Indian hit a forehand long, followed by a long lob, regaining the set.
Nagal managed to break De Jong again in the 11th game, capitalizing on a perfectly placed lob that forced De Jong into a difficult reply. The Dutch player then hit a forehand long on break point, allowing Nagal to serve out the set at love, sealing the victory with a strong forehand winner.
The cooler conditions suited Nagal’s counter-punching style, but De Jong took control in the second set, winning 5-1 after a double break. Nagal saved five break points in a tough sixth game, but De Jong eventually converted the sixth with a sharp inside-out forehand to force a deciding set.
De Jong started strongly in the final set, converting his fifth break point of the opening game, and though Nagal had two chances to break back in the second, the Dutchman held firm. As the match progressed, Nagal fell further behind at 1-4 after another break, hitting a backhand wide on break point, from where De Jong closed out the match to tie the score, despite Nagal getting a break back in the eighth game.
Earlier, in a match that swung back and forth for exactly three hours, India captain Rohit Rajpal's decision to bring in Dhakshineswar in place of N. Sriram Balaji for the high-stakes doubles proved decisive.
Bhambri faced sustained pressure, particularly in the seventh game when his first serve faltered. A double fault at 30-30 handed the Dutch a break point, but Bhambri responded with deep returns to neutralize the threat.
Dhakshineswar then missed a regulation backhand volley on game point, and Arends' awkward but effective overhead smash aimed at his legs gave the visitors another break chance.
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 30-30, but the Dutch pair escaped.
Bhambri faced pressure again 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 gain a decisive advantage, the set went into a tie-break, where the Indians suddenly found another gear. Bhambri and Dhakshineswar won the first four points 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.
However, the momentum 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 capitalize.
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 effectively, allowing the Indians to finally seize control and close out the match.