Synopsis
India will clash with Switzerland in a crucial Davis Cup World Group I tie this September. The match will be hosted by Switzerland, following India's recent victory over Togo and Switzerland's loss to Spain. The winner will advance to the Davis Cup Qualifiers.Key Takeaways
- India vs Switzerland in Davis Cup World Group I.
- Match scheduled from September 12 to 14.
- India holds a historical advantage with a 2-1 record.
- Stan Wawrinka leads Switzerland's strong lineup.
- India will be without Rohan Bopanna and key players.
New Delhi, March 6 (NationPress) India is gearing up to face Switzerland in a Davis Cup World Group I clash, following the draw organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in London on Thursday. This pivotal match will take place in Switzerland from September 12 to 14, with the hosts determining the playing surface.
India earned their spot in this tie with a commanding 4-0 win against Togo in the World Group I Play-off held in New Delhi last month. Conversely, Switzerland faced a 1-3 defeat to Spain in the Qualifiers, leading to this significant matchup. The victor of the India-Switzerland tie will progress to next year’s Davis Cup Qualifiers, whereas the losing team will be relegated to the World Group I Play-offs.
In terms of history, India has a 2-1 head-to-head lead over Switzerland, although their last encounter occurred nearly three decades ago in 1993. During that tie, Indian tennis icons Leander Paes and Ramesh Krishnan led the team to a 3-2 victory in Kolkata.
Switzerland’s team features a formidable lineup, spearheaded by three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, currently ranked World No. 165. Other prominent Swiss singles players include World No. 121 Alexander Ritschard, World No. 131 Jerome Kym, and World No. 172 Marc-Andrea Huesler. In doubles, World No. 101 Jakub Paul is Switzerland’s top-ranked player.
India’s highest-ranked singles player is World No. 132 Sumit Nagal, while Yuki Bhambri, ranked World No. 39 in doubles, leads the doubles category. However, India will miss veteran Rohan Bopanna, who stepped back from Davis Cup duties in 2023. Additionally, Bhambri and Nagal have been absent from the last two and three Davis Cup ties, respectively.
The Indian team that competed against Togo included Mukund Sasikumar, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Karan Singh in singles, while N. Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli formed the doubles pair. Rohit Rajpal remains as India’s non-playing captain.
