New Delhi: Tennis fans quickly filled the 4,000-seat RK Khanna Tennis Stadium on Sunday as India clinched a decisive 4-0 victory over Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I playoff.
Sasikumar Mukund and Ramkumar Ramanathan set the tone by winning their matches on Saturday, giving India a strong 2-0 lead. On Day 2, Balaji and debutant Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli wrapped things up in under an hour. They won their doubles match against Hod’abalo Isak Padio and M’lapa Tingou Akomlo with scores of 6-2, 6-1, which ensured India’s place in World Group I for the upcoming tie in September.
The duo started strong, breaking their opponents’ serve early in the first set. They maintained their momentum, closing the set with another break. The second set was even more dominant as the Togolese players struggled, unable to hold their serve. This allowed India to secure a comprehensive victory.
India’s non-playing captain, Rohit Rajpal, expressed his excitement about the team’s performance. He highlighted the importance of this win for the future of Indian tennis. “We wanted to introduce some young players and help them adjust to the pressures of the Davis Cup,” he said. Rajpal recognized that playing in front of a home crowd brings its own set of challenges.
Historically, India’s doubles teams have been strong, featuring legends like Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. Rajpal praised Balaji and Rithvik for showcasing the country’s talent in doubles, stating, “I’m thrilled with how they played today. It was a fantastic match, and I hope to develop this team for future challenges.”
With the win in hand, India sent Karan Singh for the first reverse singles match against Padio. Karan quickly took control of the match, breaking serve early and taking the first set with ease. He maintained a 4-0 lead in the second set before briefly losing momentum. However, he regained his focus to secure the match 6-2, 6-3. The fifth match wasn’t needed as India had already clinched the tie.
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