Dhakshineswar Suresh shines as India beats Netherlands 3-2 in Davis Cup

India’s Davis Cup hero Dhakshineswar Suresh. Pics/PTI

Tall and strapping Dhakshineswar Suresh's (DK) success story for India in the Davis Cup is one more example of how underdogs come from nowhere, bark and bite. As India defeated World No. 6 Netherlands 3-2 in the Davis Cup Qualifier 1 on Sunday in Bengaluru, the six-feet-five-inch tall DK, from Madurai, became the toast of the nation.

Over the weekend, DK first beat Jesper de Jong in the singles before pairing up with Yuki Bhambri to beat David Pel-Sander Arends in the doubles and finally clinching the deciding fifth reverse singles rubber against Guy Den Ouden. To beat a higher ranked European nation, DK has almost made a habit of it. "I discovered DK while hunting for players of Indian origin and competing in college tennis in the USA. I saw his videos and knew this boy is gold. Let me take you through how we, in the AITA, fast-tracked this giant-killer last year. To get his visa stamping done for the away tie in Switzerland last year was not easy as he is studying in the US.

Team India celebrate after winning the Davis Cup Qualifier against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on Sunday

Once the visa was done and DK came, he showed fire and delivered even last year," India's non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal told mid-day on Monday. When he competed in the World Tennis League [WTL], an elite mixed gender team competition, at the same venue in Bengaluru last December, DK made heads turn. This writer witnessed a giant, serving missiles on the court with a willingness to compete against top guns. After all, DK is still a college tennis kid, whose real value will be known when he plays full time as a professional. For the record, when DK stunned Daniil Medvedev in the WTL last December, he made heads turn.

Talking about his exploits over the weekend, Rajpal said the young man from Madurai is a treasure. "It was not easy to convince coaches in Wake Forest University to release him for the Davis Cup tie as this is his last semester. The boy is big, and to prepare him for singles and doubles, it was big. India can definitely hope for more from DK in the coming years. The transition from college tennis to the Pro Tour is not easy. I will definitely help him out with sponsorship," added an excited Rajpal.

Rohit Rajpal

Not many would know, DK plays decent doubles and is ranked fairly high in the US College NCAA rankings. "As he plays the deuce court [right side of the court], it suited us very well as DK could pair with Yuki Bhambri. Having a big serve and playing on the right side, worked for us," concluded Rajpal.

India 3-2 Netherlands

Sumit Nagal lost to Guy Den Ouden 0-6, 6-4, 3-6
Dhakshineswar Suresh beat Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5
Yuki Bhambri-D Suresh beat Sander Arends-David Pel 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1)
Sumit Nagal lost to Jesper de Jong 7-5, 1-6, 4-6
D Suresh beat Guy Den Ouden 6-4, 7-6 (4)

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Dhakshineswar Suresh is the first Indian player in 22 years to win all three matches (two singles and one doubles) in a single Davis Cup tie; the last to do so was Leander Paes in 2004 against Japan

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Dhakshineswar Suresh's singles ranking is far lower than those of the opponents he beat in the singles events - Jesper de Jong (86) and Guy Den Ouden (169)

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No of aces Dhakshineswar Suresh hit in the deciding fifth rubber against Guy den Ouden