Davis Cup: Big-serving Dhakshineswar helps India pull level against the Netherlands

Big-serving Dhakshineswar helps India pull level

Dhakshineswar Suresh added another high-impact bullet point to his fast-growing tennis resume as he beat Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5 on day one of the Davis Cup Qualifiers first round fixture against Netherlands at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium here on Saturday.

Dhakshineswar’s maiden win over a top-100 player came after India No. 1 Sumit Nagal lost a tough three-setter to Guy Den Ouden 0-6, 6-4, 3-6. The levelling act now shifts focus to Sunday afternoon’s doubles between Yuki Bhambri-Sriram Balaji and Sander Arends-David Pel, a rubber that will break open the tie.

“It’s an unreal feeling… making it level,” Dhakshineswar said. “The whole team was behind me and I played the way I wanted to.”

In the media briefing, captain Rohit Rajpal called him his “trump card”, and it is easy to see why. In his Cup debut last September against Switzerland in World Group I, the 25-year-old had beaten Jerome Kym, a player then ranked more than 280 places above. The latest victory gap was a whopping 377.

Prima facie, de Jong appeared the better-rounded player, but Dhakshineswar had the bigger weapon – a booming serve that clicked like a dream. He allowed de Jong a solitary break-point all evening, and he was especially impressive on his second serves, of which he won 18 of 25 points.

India's captain Rohit Rajpal is delighted after Dhakshineswar Suresh beat Jesper De Jong in the second singles match of the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR