Dhakshineswar Suresh delivered a stunning performance on Saturday, February 7, 2026, defeating Dutch top seed Jesper de Jong in straight sets and leveling India's Davis Cup qualifier tie against the Netherlands. The 25-year-old's victory at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru came after Sumit Nagal's earlier defeat in the opening singles match, making Suresh's performance all the more crucial.
Nagal, India's top-ranked singles player at world No. 281, lost to the 162nd-ranked Guy Den Ouden with a score of 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Nagal had a slow start, failing to win a single game in the opening set, but he recovered in the second, securing a crucial break in the seventh game. However, Den Ouden ultimately prevailed in the deciding set.
With India trailing 1-0, all eyes turned to Dhakshineswar Suresh. Suresh, ranked No. 465 in the world, faced a tough challenge against the world No. 88, Jesper de Jong. However, he displayed remarkable composure, aggression, and tactical intelligence, securing a 6-4, 7-5 victory.
Suresh's serve was a key weapon, described as "electric" with penetrating and precise serves, including several aces. He won 66 points to de Jong's 58 and claimed 82% of his first-serve points. Long rallies tested both players, but Suresh confidently took the ball early, stepping inside the baseline and mixing deep groundstrokes with sharp angles. In the first set, Suresh faced two set points at 4-4 but remained calm, holding his serve and breaking de Jong in the 10th game to win the set 6-4. The second set was tight, with both players holding serve until 4-3. Suresh's composure and well-timed attacks, including serve-and-volley plays, allowed him to convert a match point with a forehand winner, securing a 7-5 victory.
According to his ATP profile, Dhakshineswar Suresh Ekambaram was born on March 29, 2000, in Madurai, India. He stands at 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) and plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand. He achieved his career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 465 on February 2, 2026, and a doubles ranking of No. 352 on August 18, 2025. He played college tennis at Georgia Gwinnett College before transferring to Wake Forest University.
Rohan Bopanna, watching from the stands, praised Suresh's serve, calling it "definitely the best serve we have had in India in a while". He added that Suresh could further develop his second serve. Suresh's victory marked his first top-100 win, making it a remarkable achievement on home soil. He complemented his strong serving with astute returns, breaking serve in the final games of both sets.
With the tie now level at 1-1, India and the Netherlands will continue to battle it out in the remaining matches to determine who will advance in the Davis Cup competition. Other Davis Cup Qualifiers are also underway, with the United States leading Hungary 2-0 and Germany having already secured a 3-0 victory over Peru. The Final 8 will take place in Bologna in November.