India has secured a spot in the Davis Cup Qualifiers for the first time ever, triumphing over Switzerland with a 3-1 victory in their World Group I tie. The decisive match saw Sumit Nagal defeat Henry Bernet in the first reverse singles, sealing India's historic win.
Nagal's victory came after N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli faced a defeat in a tightly contested doubles match against Jakub Paul and Dominic Stricker. The Indian pair lost 7-6 (3), 4-6, 5-7. Nagal was originally scheduled to compete against Jerome Kym in the fourth rubber; however, the Swiss team strategically chose to field Bernet, the reigning junior Australian Open champion, for the crucial match. Nagal won against Bernet 6-1, 6-3.
India entered the final day with a 2-0 advantage, thanks to Nagal and Dhakshineshwar Suresh's inspiring singles wins on Friday. This marks India's first victory against a European team in an away tie in 32 years, their last being against France in the quarterfinals in 1993. Although India defeated Denmark at home in Delhi in 2022, this win in Switzerland carries significant weight. The first round of the Davis Cup Qualifiers will be held in January 2026.
Nagal expressed his joy after the win, stating, "It means a lot. It's been a while since we won in Europe. We worked very hard to be here. We pushed each other, I am very happy with the win". He also acknowledged the difficulty of the doubles match and the unpredictability of facing young players like Bernet.
Bernet's aggressive approach ultimately led to numerous unforced errors, which proved beneficial for Nagal. Nagal was playing in his first Davis Cup tie since September 2023, and his presence undoubtedly made a difference. This victory is also a significant milestone for captain Rohit Rajpal, marking his first major win on foreign soil since assuming the role in 2019.
Dhakshineswar Suresh, making his Davis Cup debut, set the tone by upsetting Swiss No.1 Jerome Kym 7-6(4), 6-3 in the opening singles rubber. The 626th-ranked Suresh displayed remarkable composure, saving multiple break points before clinching the match in straight sets. Sumit Nagal then reinforced India's dominance by overcoming two-time Olympian Marc-Andrea Huesler 6-3, 7-6(4). Nagal broke Huesler twice in the first set and held his nerve in a second-set tiebreak, giving India a 2-0 lead after Day 1.
With this triumph, India, currently ranked 37th in the Davis Cup standings, has upset ninth-seeded Switzerland (ranked 24th). This victory not only propels India into the 2026 World Group Qualifiers but also signifies their first Davis Cup away win against a European nation since 1993. It's also India's first away success under the revamped Davis Cup format introduced in 2019. Switzerland will now have to compete in the 2026 World Group I play-offs.
