India has secured a historic spot in the Davis Cup Qualifiers after a decisive 3-1 victory over Switzerland in the World Group I tie. The win, sealed by a dominant singles performance from Sumit Nagal, marks India's first triumph over a European team in an away tie since a victory against France in 1993. The Indian team's success comes after a period of struggles in the team competition and is a significant milestone for Indian tennis.
Sumit Nagal was the hero of the day, securing the tie with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory over young Swiss player Henry Bernet in the first reverse singles match. Nagal's presence proved to be influential, as he won both of his singles rubbers over the two-day tie. After the match, an emotional Nagal said, "It means a lot. It's been a while that we won in Europe. We worked very hard to be here. We pushed each other, I am very happy with the win."
The foundation for the victory was laid on Friday, the opening day of the tie, when India took a crucial 2-0 lead. Nagal defeated Marc-Andrea Huesler in a professional display, and debutant Dhakshineswar Suresh pulled off a stunning upset against the higher-ranked Jerome Kym. Suresh's composed performance and Nagal's confident return to the team set the stage for Saturday's decider.
The day began with a setback for India, as the doubles pair of N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli suffered a close defeat to the Swiss duo of Jakub Paul and Dominic Stricker. The match was a long battle that went to three sets, with the Swiss team coming from behind to win 7-6(3), 4-6, 5-7. Nagal, who was watching from the sidelines, commented on the intensity of the match, stating, "Doubles was tough, the level of tennis was very high from both teams. I was sweating more on the sidelines than playing this match."
With this victory, India now advances to the first round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers, which are scheduled for January. The win is a much-needed morale booster for the Indian team, which had failed to win its World Group I ties since the format was revamped in 2019.
