Bengaluru, Feb 3 (IANS) As India prepare for the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1 match against the Netherlands on 7-8 February, the national team is engaged in a rigorous training camp at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru, supervised by captain Rohit Rajpal.

Karan Singh and Rithvik Bollipalli started their training sessions on Thursday evening, while Sumit Nagal, Dhakshineswar Suresh, and Yuki Bhambri are scheduled to rejoin the team in Bengaluru today, as preparations intensify for the important home match.

India enters the match ranked No. 33 in the Davis Cup nations standings, going up against a strong Dutch team that is currently No. 6 globally and was the runner-up at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. Nevertheless, the Indian team can take heart from their history, having caused a major upset over the Netherlands in Jaipur in February 1996. On that occasion, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi led a remarkable comeback to win after India was behind 1–2.

Rajpal, who has been India’s Davis Cup captain since 2019, aims to replicate this success in the Dutch, as he said, “If we play the way we played in Switzerland, where all the players peaked at the right time, I believe we can go through this tie. Since I came in as captain, we like to get in early and start getting the team ready. The idea is to taper it down, we begin with two heavy sessions everyday and gradually reduce the load so that everyone peaks at the right time and is able to give their best.”

Indian tennis icon Mahesh Bhupathi also supported the Indian team, saying, “I want to wish the team good luck ahead of the Davis Cup tie. I have very good memories of playing against the Dutch, especially when we beat them in Jaipur in 1996. It just goes to show that anything is possible in the Davis Cup. The team needs to keep their heads high and fight hard.”

The Indian team enters the match following a solid showing in September 2025, when they beat Switzerland 3–1 in Biel during the World Group I tie. This victory has further increased confidence within the team.

“In 2024, the Netherlands were finalists. Any team that reaches the final and is playing for a place in the top 16 in the world is never going to be an easy opponent. We know it’s going to be a very tough tie. We’re hoping the stadium will be full and cheering for us, motivating the boys to rise to the occasion. That’s what a home tie is all about,” Rajpal added.

With the overall score tied at 2-2, the upcoming match promises to be more than just another draw. As the week goes on, the Indian team will keep intensive practice sessions, gaining momentum before the Davis Cup Qualifiers.

–IANS

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