Dhakshineswar Suresh’s defiance drives India to a dramatic 3-2 upset win over Netherlands

Dhakshineswar Suresh played a part in all three of the Indian team’s wins as the hosts upset the Netherlands 3-2 in their Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers tie at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Heading into the second and final day of the competition tied at 1-1, India won the opening doubles rubber with Yuki Bhambri and his surprise partner Dhakshineswar Suresh defeating Sander Arends and David Pel 7(7)-6(0), 3-6, 7(7)-6(1).

After Jasper de Jong beat Sumit Nagal 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 to bring the Dutch team, placed sixth in the Davis Cup rankings, on level terms, Suresh beat Guy Den Ouden 6-4, 6-4, 7(7)-6(4) to hand the 33rd-ranked India a memorable win.

Suresh, ranked 465th in singles, had upset world No. 88 Jasper de Jong in the second singles rubber of the opening day to bring India level. Guy Den Ouden is also ranked 162nd in the world.

India sprung a surprise with team selection for the opening doubles match by drafting in Suresh to partner Yuki Bhambri, India’s top doubles player, in place of veteran Olympian N Sriram Balaji, a designated specialist in the format.

Up against the Dutch pair of Sander Arends and David Pel, the makeshift Indian pair gave a good account of themselves and took the first set via tie-breaker. Arends and Pel levelled the score in the second set to take the match into a decider.

The third set proved to be a thriller as both teams held onto their serves before Bhambri and Suresh triumphed again in the tie-breaker to seal the three-hour-long contest.

Sumit Nagal, the top Indian singles player in the tennis rankings at world No. 281, rode the momentum in the first reverse singles match of the day and managed to break Jasper de Jong in the very first game.

The Dutchman broke Nagal back in the eighth but the Indian seized the advantage again in the 11th game before serving out the set.

With his team a set away from losing the tie, De Jong, the best-ranked singles player in the tie, lifted his game and dominated the second set.

The third started off as a tight affair with Nagal and De Jong tied at 4-all before the Dutchman switched gears again to produce a crucial break before winning the contest which was just eight minutes shorter than the previous doubles marathon.

Suresh, 25, took the court for the second time on the day to play the decisive final rubber against Guy Den Ouden, who had beaten Nagal in the opening match of the tie on Saturday.

Hyderabad veteran tennis coach CV Nagaraj with Rohan Bopanna and Sumit Nagal at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru

The Indian player, who had already spent three hours on the court earlier in the day, showcased no signs of tiring and endured 99 more minutes of gruelling tennis to culminate a Herculean effort on a positive note.

After Suresh won the first set, the second went into the tie-breaker. Ouden took a 3-1 lead but Suresh dug deep to win it 7-4.

This was India’s first Davis Cup Qualifiers appearance since the competition format was revamped in 2019.

The win against the Netherlands helped India progress to the second round of the Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers scheduled in September. They will be up against fellow Asian side the Republic of Korea in the tie and a win there will see them progress to the Finals to contest for the title.

The Indian tennis team finished as Davis Cup runners-up in 1966, 1974 and 1987.

(Source: Olympics.com)