BY BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Feb 7 (.) India’s Davis Cup 2026 campaign took a dramatic turn as 25-year-old Dhakshineswar Suresh edged past Dutch top seed Jesper de Jong in straight sets to level the qualifier 1-1 after Sumit Nagal’s hard-fought loss in the opening singles at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium on Saturday.
All eyes were on Suresh as he stepped into the court in a bid to keep India in the tie. What followed was a masterclass in composure, aggression, and tactical intelligence on one of tennis’s highest-pressure stages.
From the very first point, Suresh set the tone. His serve was electric — penetrating, precise, and peppered with aces that immediately put de Jong on the defensive. Long, tense rallies unfolded, with both players probing for weaknesses and testing each other’s patience. Suresh moved confidently, taking the ball early, stepping inside the baseline, and mixing deep groundstrokes with sudden angles that kept de Jong guessing.
The first set was a battle of nerves. At 4-4, Suresh faced two set points, moments that can define a career. But he stayed calm, refocusing on the next point, keeping his serve sharp and his groundstrokes aggressive. In the 10th game, he broke de Jong with a series of calculated winners, taking the set 6-4.
The tension in the stadium was palpable, and every point demonstrated Suresh’s ability to thrive under pressure.
Set two evolved into a chess match. Both players held serve until 4-3, trading deep rallies and testing each other’s endurance and tactical awareness. Suresh’s composure never wavered. He attacked at the right moments, occasionally mixing in serve-and-volley plays that paid dividends, and ultimately converted his match point with a clean forehand winner to seal a 7-5 victory.
Statistically, too, it was a dominating performance from the Indian. Suresh won 66 points to de Jong’s 58, fired nine aces, and claimed 82 per cent of first-serve points. Every key number underlined not just power, but precision, mental strength, and a remarkable maturity on court.
Earlier, Nagal went down fighting against Netherlands’ Guy den Ouden.
Den Ouden secured a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 victory, giving the Netherlands a crucial 1-0 lead, but the contest was far more nuanced than the scoreline suggests.
Nagal, India’s top-ranked singles player, struggled to find his rhythm in the opening set, which Den Ouden raced through 6-0, putting Nagal on the back foot and testing his mental composure. The local spectators were vocal, but Den Ouden absorbed the energy without letting it rattle him.
The second set was a study in resilience and tactical adjustment, as Nagal regrouped, tightened his first serve, and began to take the ball earlier, forcing Den Ouden into longer rallies. India’s top seed seized key moments, converting break points and showing patience in constructing points to claim the set 6-4.
The decider evolved into a battle of nerves, stamina, and strategy. Den Ouden regained control, breaking Nagal early, but the Indian refused to relent, fighting to 3-4 at one stage. Ultimately, the Dutch player’s combination of aggression, consistency, and mental composure allowed him to close out the set 6-3.
Suresh’s victory levelled the tie at 1-1 and injected renewed energy into the Indian camp. With the doubles rubber coming up next, the momentum now rests with India, but the match remains pivotal.
A win in doubles would give India a 2-1 lead; a loss would make the remaining singles rubbers a much steeper climb. Every serve, volley, and baseline exchange will carry enormous significance.
Reflecting on his win, Suresh said: “Unreal feeling sitting here right now, getting the win for India, making it level. The crowd was unreal as well. Me and the captain have a great relationship—he was boosting me all the time… I just take deep breaths, clear my head, and focus on the next point.”
On his approach under pressure, he added: “Stepping onto the court, especially playing for India, it’s an honour. Nothing to win, nothing to lose. I did everything I could to prepare, and I was happy I played the way I wanted to.”
On supporting Nagal in the reverse singles, Suresh said: “Obviously Sumit knows what to expect. I can share a couple of things with him, but it’s a talk between us.”
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