India has made history by advancing to the Davis Cup Qualifiers for the first time. Sumit Nagal secured a decisive victory over Switzerland’s young talent, Henry Bernet, in the initial reverse singles match, leading India to a 3-1 victory in the World Group I tie on Saturday.
Prior to Nagal’s match, N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli narrowly lost a doubles match 7-6 (3), 4-6, 5-7 against Jakub Paul and Dominic Stricker, which lasted two hours and 26 minutes.
Although scheduled to play against Jerome Kym, Nagal faced the reigning junior Australian Open champion, Bernet, in a must-win match for Switzerland, ultimately winning 6-1, 6-3.
India had secured an initial 2-0 lead with Friday’s singles wins by Nagal and debutant Dhakshineshwar Suresh.
This victory marks India’s first win over a European team in an away tie since beating France in the 1993 quarterfinals, a team that featured Leander Paes and Ramesh Krishnan.
India previously defeated Denmark on home soil in Delhi in 2022.
The Davis Cup Qualifiers are scheduled to commence in January 2026.
Bernet’s aggressive style led to numerous unforced errors, aiding Nagal’s victory.
Nagal expressed, “This win is significant, breaking our long-standing drought in Europe. The team worked very hard, and I’m thrilled with the outcome.”
He added, “The doubles match was intense, showcasing high-level tennis from both teams. Young players are unpredictable, adding to the challenge.”
Returning to Davis Cup action since playing Morocco in September 2023, Nagal’s impact was felt in this match.
For captain Rohit Rajpal, this win is his first major triumph since taking over from Mahesh Bhupathi in 2019, achieving success on foreign soil after previous losses to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Croatia.
Rajpal’s decision to play reserve player Dhakshineshwar on the first day proved crucial to the team’s success.
Bernet, after a slow start, showcased his skills but struggled with control.
Despite dazzling with his single-handed backhand, Bernet couldn’t maintain enough control to dominate.
Nagal exploited Bernet’s errors, gaining crucial breaks and using those opportunities to secure victory.
In the earlier doubles match, both Balaji and Stricker started strong, excelling on serve and frequently finishing points with volley winners.
The Indian team pressured Paul’s serve but the Swiss held firm after a deuce point standoff.
India seized a break point on Stricker’s serve during the sixth game and converted it after a challenging baseline rally.
However, Balaji’s serving error gave the Swiss a break-back chance, which they capitalized on.
In a tight tie-breaker at 3-3, Paul’s errors turned the first set in favor of India.
Both teams fought hard through the second set, locked at 4-4 with tense moments throughout.
Balaji missed an opportunity for a break at 30-all in the ninth game, leading to further intense gameplay.
Despite pressure, Paul retained his serve with Balaji’s return going out.
Ultimately, Bollipalli was broken at love in the subsequent game, leveling the sets.
Bollipalli faced break points following Paul’s angled winner. Despite saving several with aces, the Swiss finally broke at 3-3.
As Bollipalli served to prolong the match, errors gave Switzerland match points, which they utilized to clinch the match when Bollipalli failed to clear the net.