N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli sealed India's place in the Davis Cup World Group I with a convincing straight sets victory in the doubles for an unassailable 3-0 lead against Togo in the play-off tie in New Delhi on Sunday.
India have been drawn against former champions Russia while there's a possibility of Roger Feder facing Rafael Nadal, as Switzerland have been drawn against defending champions Spain.
Australia has pinned its hopes on ageing warhorse Lleyton Hewitt to steer the country back into the Davis Cup's world group, naming him in both singles and doubles for their playoff against Belgium in Cairns this week.
Stanislas Wawrinka emerged from teammate Roger Federer's shadow to seal Switzerland's return to the Davis Cup World Group after finishing off Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the deciding singles rubber of their playoff on Monday.
India entered the Davis Cup World Group play-offs after a historic away triumph over South Korea following Somdev Devvarman's victory over Yong-Kyu Lim in the reverse singles of the Group I Asia/Oceania second round tie, in Busan, on Sunday. Somdev won the first reverse singles 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to make the overall scoreline 3-1 in favour of India, rendering the second reverse singles inconsequential, leading to its cancellation.
The Davis Cup tie will be held either on September 16-17 or 17-18 while tennis event at the Asian Games are scheduled to be held from September 10-14.
He said rather than think about what is stopping Indian players from making an impact in Grand Slams, the focus should be on doing well in the upcoming Davis Cup tie.
The Indian Davis Cup squad will travel to Pakistan for the first time since 1964. India defeated Pakistan 4-0 in their most recent neutral site match in 2019.
Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji could play well only in patches to lose the do-or-die doubles against Andre Goransson and Filip Bergevi.
N Sriram Balaji was easily tamed by Elias Ymer, while Ramkumar Ramanathan went down to a lower-ranked Leo Borg as India were left trailing 0-2 against Sweden in the Davis Cup World Group I tie.
India will play against Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I Play-offs to be held between January 31 and February 2 next year, according to the draw conducted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in London on Monday.
India will take on Davis Cup finalists Serbia in the opening round of next year's tournament. The Indians retained their place in the World Group -- having lost to Russia earlier in the year -- after a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Brazil in the play-off tie in Chennai last Sunday.
A year before he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005, Rafa made his debut in India at the Chennai Open.
Veteran Leander Paes was, on Tuesday, dropped from the Indian Davis Cup squad for the World Group away tie against Serbia scheduled from September 14 to 16.
India were on Thursday drawn to meet Sweden in an away Davis Cup World Group I tie in September.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday sought the Sports Ministry's advice on the national team's travel to Pakistan for the Davis Cup World Group 1 Play-off tie against the neighbours at Islamabad in February next year.
Sumit Nagal had to be content with a runner-up finish at the ATP Tulln Challenger event after losing the singles title clash in straight sets to Czech Republic's Vit Kopriva, in Tulln on Sunday.
The Indian team had been relegated to the World Group II after losing 2-3 to Denmark in the World Group Play-Off earlier this year.
The freezing cold made the conditions challenging for the players.
AITA names five-member Indian team for Davis Cup World Group 1 play-off away tie against Denmark
Sumit Nagal fought fire with fire to bring India back in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against Denmark, winning the second singles.
The Indian team is staring at a heavy defeat in its Davis Cup World Group first round tie after conceding a 0-2 lead to hosts Norway following Ramkumar Ramnathan's loss to Viktor Durasovic in the second singles in Lillehammer, Norway.
India blunted Pakistan's challenge on the opening day to take a 2-0 lead in the Davis Cup World Group I play-off tie with Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji rising to the occasion in the high-pressure contest, in Islamabad on Saturday.
The Indian Davis Cup team was relegated to the World Group II for the first time since the new format was launched in 2019 after losing the play-off tie 2-3 to Denmark.
A round-up of Friday's action in the Davis Cup.
Davis Cup: Strong Indian team is firm favourite against Pakistan in historic clash
Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan saved three match-points in an edge-of-the-seat thriller to prevail over a fighting Danish pair of Frederik Nielsen and Mikael Torpegaard as India kept its place in the Davis Cup World Group I by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Play-off tie, in New Delhi, on Saturday.
The winner of the two-day rubber will qualify for the World Group I stage that is scheduled to take place later this year.
This is the first time, after three consecutive home ties, that that India will play an away tie for a place in the World Group.
Nagal's court coverage and solid defence in long drawn points was the highlight of his win.
India's top-ranked singles player Ramkumar Ramanathan, of late, has developed a decent serve and volley game and comeback-man Yuki Bhambri is also comfortable playing on grass courts.
World number two Rafael Nadal has been named in Spain's squad for their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final against Germany in Valencia next month.
Somdev Devverman kept India's hopes alive in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie with a 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic, in Delhi, on Friday.
Even a second-string Serbia proved a mighty opponent as Yuki Bhambri and Somdev Devvarman suffered crushing singles defeats to leave India trailing 0-2 on the opening day of the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in Bangalore.
Rafael Nadal to play against Ram Kumar Ramanathan on the first day of their Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in New Delhi on Friday.
A mix of interesting events, coupled with big, shocking results, in the sporting world, grabbed headlines last week. From Manchester United being stunned by Watford to lose their third consecutive match to Nico Rosberg taking the World Championship lead from Mercedes teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton by clinching the Singapore Grand Prix. The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games were brought to a close inside a packed Maracana Stadium on Sunday evening. Not before, we witnessed some enthralling action.
India lost the opening tie of the Davis Cup World Group play-off against Spain after Ramkumar Ramanathan lost to Spain's Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 on a hot evening in Delhi on Friday.
Canada raced to a 2-0 lead over Spain in their Davis Cup world group first round tie on Friday, pushing the five-times champions to the brink of defeat and moving to within a doubles victory of a maiden win at this level.
Roger Federer suffered defeat for the second day in succession as United States completed a surprisingly comfortable victory over Switzerland in the Davis Cup World Group first round in Fribourg on Saturday.
India will host five-time champions Spain on the hard courts of Delhi Lawn Tennis Association in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie, scheduled for September 16-18.
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