Tennis

India's Davis Cup hopes suffered a setback as they fell 0-2 behind Sweden in the World Group I tie on Saturday. N Sriram Balaji and Ramkumar Ramanathan were both defeated in straight sets in the opening singles matches.Balaji, a doubles specialist, was outplayed by Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-2. The Indian struggled to keep up with Ymer's powerful groundstrokes and was broken twice in each set.Ramkumar, a more experienced Davis Cupper, was expected to level the tie against Leo Borg, the son of legendary Bjorn Borg. However, the 21-year-old Borg proved to be a formidable opponent, winning 6-3, 6-3.Ramkumar's challenge fell apart in just 58 minutes. He failed to find a way past Borg's solid serve and consistent groundstrokes. The Indian also made several unforced errors, which proved costly.India now face an uphill battle to win the tie. They need to win all three remaining matches on Sunday, including the doubles and two reverse singles.Captain Rohit Rajpal has a tough decision to make regarding the doubles pairing. Balaji and Ramkumar could be given another chance, but Niki Poonacha may also be considered.India have a history of overcoming 0-2 deficits in Davis Cup ties. They beat Brazil in 2010 and China in 2018 after trailing 0-2. However, they will need to produce a special performance to do so again against Sweden.

India to Face Sweden in Davis Cup World Group-1 EncounterIndian tennis star Sriram Balaji will lead the charge for India against Sweden in the Davis Cup World Group-1 encounter, which will be played on indoor hard courts at the Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm on Saturday. Balaji will open the campaign against Elias Ymer, ranked 238th in the world.The Indian team, which includes Ramkumar Ramanathan, will rely on the duo to secure the first day's play. Balaji and Ramanathan were instrumental in India's 4-0 victory over Pakistan in the World Group play-off earlier this year.Captain Rohit Rajpal has hinted at repeating the players in singles and doubles, after observing their performance in training. The team will depend on Balaji and Ramanathan to shoulder the doubles rubber against Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson.Ramkumar will face Leo Borg, the son of legendary Bjorn Borg, in the second singles on the opening day. Borg, ranked 603rd, may be less experienced than his father, but he has a strong foundation, having been ranked No.12 in the world as a junior.Sweden has never lost to India in the five ties they have played over the years. In fact, India has managed to win only two rubbers in all. However, the Indian team is determined to break this streak and secure a victory on Swedish soil.The matches on the first day are scheduled to start from 5.30 p.m. IST, while the second day's play, which will feature the doubles followed by the two reverse singles matches, will start at 3.30 p.m. IST. Sony Sports will broadcast the matches live for the Indian audience.

India's Davis Cup hopes have been dealt a blow with the absence of top players Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri for the upcoming World Group tie against Sweden. Captain Rohit Rajpal expressed his disappointment, acknowledging that Nagal's presence would have given India an edge.Rajpal believes that the tie is now evenly matched, with both teams possessing strong doubles teams. He praised the experience of Ramkumar Ramanathan but noted his recent lack of form. The captain emphasized the importance of keeping players fresh for the match days and revealed that they would be training for singles.Rajpal highlighted the indoor hard court conditions in Stockholm, which favor low bounce and medium pace. He pointed out that the Swedish team would have home advantage, with former world No. 1 Bjorn Borg's son, Leo, now the No. 2 player.Despite the challenges, Rajpal remains optimistic about India's chances. He believes that the team can rise to the occasion and clinch the tie. The match is expected to be broadcast live on television, including efforts to secure coverage on Doordarshan.

India's top singles player Sumit Nagal has withdrawn from the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden due to a back injury. The indoor hard-court contest in Stockholm will be played on September 14-15.Nagal, who reached a career-high ranking of 68 in July, has been struggling with a back issue for the past few weeks. Doctors have advised him to rest for the next two weeks, leaving him without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden."I was really looking forward to representing in the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden," Nagal wrote on social media. "However, due to a back issue that's been bothering me for the past few weeks, doctors have advised me to rest for the next two weeks, leaving me without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden. This same issue also led to my withdrawal from the US Open doubles."Nagal's absence is a big blow to the Indian team. The 25-year-old is India's highest-ranked singles player and has been a key member of the team in recent years.Former national champion Ashutosh Singh has been named as the new coach of the national team. Singh, who has previously coached Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni, will be tasked with guiding India to victory in the Davis Cup tie against Sweden.India will be hoping to qualify for the Davis Cup Finals for the first time since 2018. The team will need to beat Sweden in the qualifying round in order to reach the Finals, which will be held in Malaga, Spain, from November 21-27.

The Indian under-12 tennis teams have emerged victorious in the South Asia championships held in Kathmandu, Nepal. The boys' team, comprising Puneeth Manohar, Aarav Chhallani, and Yuvaan Garg, secured the gold medal after defeating Pakistan 2-0 in the final. In the semifinals, they had overcome Sri Lanka 3-0.Throughout the league phase, the Indian boys displayed their dominance, defeating Bangladesh and Maldives 3-0 in each match, dropping only one game in six encounters. The girls' team, consisting of Srishti Kiran, Khushi Kadian, and Sarena Gahlot, also claimed the title by topping the round-robin league. They defeated Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal, losing just one set in the entire tournament.The top two teams from the competition will advance to the Asian under-12 championship, which will be hosted in Kazakhstan. Anil Dhupar, the AITA secretary general, expressed pride in the young athletes' achievements and their dedication, teamwork, and spirit.

Samarth Sahita's valiant victory in his singles match proved insufficient as India succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Hong Kong in the third league encounter of the Asia-Oceania Junior Davis Cup under-16 boys tennis tournament. Despite Sahita's triumph, India's overall performance in the group stage secured them a berth in the quarterfinals.In the opening singles match, Siu Cheng of Hong Kong faced off against Sahita. Cheng displayed resilience, overcoming a 3-6 deficit in the first set to win 7-6(1). However, Sahita regained his composure in the second set, claiming it 6-3. The third set proved to be a nail-biter, with Cheng ultimately prevailing 6-3.In the second singles match, Jack Cheng of Hong Kong faced Aradhya Kshitij of India. Cheng dominated the match, securing a 7-5, 6-1 victory. The doubles match, featuring Jack Cheng and Siu Cheng for Hong Kong and Aradhya Kshitij and Samarth Sahita for India, was a one-sided affair. The Hong Kong duo cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory, sealing the tie for their team.Despite the loss, India's second-place finish in the group ensured their qualification for the quarterfinals. They will face Group C topper Taiwan, which defeated Australia 2-1 in the final league match. Cruz Hewitt, son of former World No. 1 and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, won his singles match for Australia, but the team ultimately fell short.Other teams to advance to the knockout phase include host Kazakhstan, China, Japan, and Korea. The top four teams from the zone will qualify for the World Group competition to be held later.

China's dominance in women's tennis was on full display as they swept aside India 3-0 in the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania group-1 league phase. The combination of China's formidable players and the challenging clay surface proved insurmountable for the Indian team.Ankita Raina, India's top-ranked player, faced a daunting task against World No. 8 Qinwen Zheng. Zheng's power and precision proved too much for Raina, who failed to win a single game in the 6-0, 6-0 defeat.In the second singles match, Xinyu Wang overcame Sahaja Yamalapalli in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Wang's consistent groundstrokes and aggressive net play kept Yamalapalli on the back foot throughout the match.The doubles pairing of Hanyu Guo and Xiyu Wang completed the whitewash with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Rutuja Bhosale and Prarthana Thombare. The Chinese duo's superior teamwork and court coverage proved too much for the Indian pair.India's hopes now rest on their match against Taiwan on Thursday. A victory would keep their chances of advancing to the next round alive.Meanwhile, Korea and New Zealand also registered 3-0 victories over Taiwan and Pacific Oceania, respectively. Korea's dominance was particularly impressive, as they dropped only one game in their three matches.