A new year and a fresh start for Indian tennis as the country’s squad is taking on Togo in a World Group I Play-offs tie at New Delhi’s RK Khanna Stadium on February 1-2. The squad comprises some good double players like Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli and N Sriram Balaji but is missing their top-ranked singles players like Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri, who pulled out before the season. This is the third consecutive tournament where Indian ace Sumit Nagal is not playing, this time not replying to the All India Tennis Association. With a lot of uncertainty over the years and dependency on top players, India’s captain Rohit Rampal has decided that this is the perfect time to start a new era of Indian tennis in the Davis Cup.
Speaking exclusively to InsideSport, India’s captain Rohit Rampal shares his thoughts and vision on the upcoming Davis Cup Tie.
Doubles is easy but Singles is hard for India
India is coming on the court with some really good doubles players, but there’s a gap in singles. On this issue, Rohit says, “We’re focusing on building more singles players and have a larger squad this time, including emerging talents like Aryan Shah and others. It’s important to recognize that not every top player necessarily excels in the Davis Cup due to its unique pressures.” Indian team has Sasikumar Mukund, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Karan Singh in the arsenal this time. Sasikumar is the top ranked singles player in the squad with a ranking of 365, which is a concern. “We’re working to sharpen their understanding and game through practice sessions.” Rohit added.
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Squad’s mentality after tough loss in Sweden
Indian squad got a thrashing in Sweden at the World Group I tie in September 2024, where the visitors lose 4-0 easily. Reflecting the tough loss and overcoming it, Rohit said, “Many underestimated the Swedish team; they were better prepared. We need to improve our singles to compete with world-class teams. We need depth, like the era of Leander and Mahesh, to rise to such occasions.“
Sumit Nagal is committed but not for Davis Cup
Sumit Nagal is India’s top player in men’s singles. He’s continuously ditching the Davis Cup due to injury and some personal reasons. This time he refused to play by sampling to replying to the mail sent by officials. On this situation, Rohit Rampal says, “It’s complex. I wouldn’t call him unprofessional. He’s been committed and made the country proud on the tour. Tennis is demanding, and players face immense pressure, which can make them sensitive. It’s essential to handle these situations delicately and pass on the right values, as our seniors did.” Sumit is not entirely out of the Indian team plan, and he will be back soon Rohit emphasised.
India shouldn’t take Togo easy
Togo is not a good nation that excels in tennis, but Rohit Rajpal believes that India shouldn’t take the visitors easy. “We’re analyzing our opponents diligently. Togo has shown strong performances recently, and we’ll take it one match at a time. We’re also focusing on conditioning our players and making strategic decisions on singles lineup based on adaptability and form.” he concluded.
