India grabbed the momentum in their Davis Cup Qualifiers tie with the Netherlands thanks to a gutsy, three-hour doubles win on Sunday.
Yuki Bhambri and debutant Dhakshineswar Suresh outlasted David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) on Sunday to put the hosts 2-1 ahead, rewarding captain Rohit Rajpal’s bold call to swap Dhakshineswar in for N Sriram Balaji.
With the tie locked at 1-1 overnight, the match became a test of nerve. The opening set was brutal, Bhambri’s serve constantly under fire. He faced break points in clusters — five in one game alone — but repeatedly dug himself out, feeding off a roaring home crowd. When neither pair blinked, the tiebreak arrived, and India suddenly surged. Bhambri and Dhakshineswar stormed to a flawless
7-0 breaker, barely giving the Dutch a look in.
The Netherlands hit back in the second set. Bhambri’s first-serve issues resurfaced at the wrong time, a double fault opening the door for Arends to pounce with a sharp backhand volley. The Dutch capitalised, breaking clear and levelling the contest.
The decider was pure attrition. India squandered multiple break chances, including a golden 0-40 opening on Pel’s serve, while Dhakshineswar held firm under pressure at crucial moments. Games dragged on, momentum swung, and nerves frayed.
The turning point came after Arends took a medical timeout for his taped left hand. His serve dipped, India sensed it, and the home pair finally wrestled control before cruising through the deciding tiebreak.
The win hands India a crucial edge heading into the reverse singles, with Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar set to try and finish the job.
(with PTI inputs)
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