A profligate Yuki Bhambri missed chances galore in a tame defeat against world number 40 Jiri Vesley as India lost the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against top seeds Czech Republic 1-3.
India were on Tuesday pitted against European powerhouse Spain as their Davis Cup World Group play-off opponents for the home tie as the International Tennis Federation announced the draw in London.
Marin Cilic completed a dream week by steering Croatia into the Davis Cup World Group on Sunday but Spain found themselves out in the wilderness after crashing to defeat in Brazil.
Jannik Sinner has decided not to take part in this year's Davis Cup Finals with reigning champions Italy confirming his absence in Monday's team announcement, while world number one Carlos Alcaraz will represent Spain at next month's competition.
India were handed a tough Davis Cup draw, being pitted against top seeds Czech Republic in the World Group Play-offs, to be held from September 18-20 either in New Delhi or Pune.
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.
The Indian Davis Cup team entered the World Group playoffs after notching up a historic away triumph over Korea. The triumphant Indians will take on Serbia at home in the Davis Cup World Group play-offs to be held from September 12 to 14.
Chile, Austria, Croatia, Israel, Romania and the Netherlands secured places in the World Group of the Davis Cup for 2009 after completing playoff victories in the reverse singles on Sunday.
India will travel to the city of Biel for the World Group I first-round tie, which will be played on indoor courts from September 12.
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.
Thomas Johansson beat Praskah Amritraj in the reverse singles to secure a 3-1 lead over India.
Zeeshan Ali said Indian players are expected to do well in the World Group Play-off tie
Tennis legend Rohan Bopanna has expressed his desire to take on an administrative role at the All India Tennis Association (AITA), aiming to drive significant change in Indian tennis. Bopanna highlighted the importance of focusing on existing strengths and providing comprehensive support to players, drawing from his experience with the 'Doubles Dream of India' program.
- Rafael Nadal secured Spain's place in the world group of the Davis Cup for 2007 by beating Italian number one Filippo Volandri 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 with a typically combative display on Sunday
An analysis of the disparities in India's sporting culture, highlighting the challenges faced by non-cricket athletes and the systemic changes needed for India to become a true sporting superpower.
Spain did not need their best players to beat India but then they are taking the World Group Davis Cup play-off tie very "seriously", bringing a strong 20-member contingent to tackle the lower-ranked home players.
Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai, golfers of Indian origin, made a steady start at the Zurich Classic, while Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer lead the tournament.
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.
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.
India progressed to the Davis Cup Qualifiers for the first time ever after Sumit Nagal tamed aggressive teenager Henry Bernet in the first reverse singles to script the team's 3-1 win over Switzerland.
Outgoing Davis Cup captain S P Misra has said with quality players such as Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri in the team, India have a good chance to qualify for the World Group next year.
With a population of 156,000, Curacao is the least populous country to go to the World Cup, beating the previous record held by Iceland with its 350,000 inhabitants.
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.
Sasikumar Mukund will aim for a winning return to the Davis Cup fold as India faces Togo in the World Group I Play-off.
A dogged Somdev Devvarman scripted a spectacular win over South Africa's Rik De Voest in a high-voltage marathon five-setter to clear India's passage into the elite Davis Cup World Group after a long wait of 11 years in Johannesburg, on Sunday. Tenacity of Somdev and Voest engineered a prodigious tennis game which the Indian won 3-6, 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-4.
India will fight it out with South Africa to re-claim a berth in the Davis Cup World Group in an away play-off tie in September. India advanced to the play-off stage after Australia forfeited the Asia/Oceania Group I tie, to be held in Chennai, due to security concerns.
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.
The last time an Indian Davis Cup team travelled to Pakistan was way back in 1964.
Sasikumar Mukund returned to Davis Cup action with a fluent straight-sets victory over lower-ranked Liova Ayite Ajavon, putting India ahead 1-0 in the World Group I play-off tie against Togo, in New Delhi, Saturday.
The Indian junior Fed Cup team has qualified for the World Group after finishing third in the Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying event following a 2-1 win over New Zealand in the Play-off, in New Delhi on Saturday.
India were on Thursday drawn to meet Sweden in an away Davis Cup World Group I tie in September.
Sasikumar Mukund, who was banned by AITA on disciplinary grounds, is back as India's best-ranked player for the World Group I Play-off tie against Togo, starting on Saturday.
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.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection panel picked a five-member squad in which Mukund will be the highest-ranked singles player at number 368.
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.
AITA names five-member Indian team for Davis Cup World Group 1 play-off away tie against Denmark
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday suggested that the country's top player Sumit Nagal perhaps deliberately missed the Davis Cup tie against Sweden last week
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.
The Natural History Museum, London, has officially unveiled the 24-image shortlist for the 2026 Nuveen People's Choice Award. This prestigious contest, a key part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and supported by lead sponsor Nuveen, invites the public to decide which image will be crowned the winner.
