India signed off their Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Korea at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi on Saturday, securing a third-place finish and retaining their place in Group I.
While Thailand and Indonesia progressed to the next stage of the 2026 competition, India’s closing performance provided a strong statement of resilience and depth.
Coming into the final tie, India needed a composed team performance to end their campaign on a high after mixed results earlier in the week. They delivered exactly that, overcoming an early setback to clinch the tie through a combination of grit in singles and authority in doubles.
The tie began with Ankita Raina taking on Korea’s Dayeon Back in the opening singles rubber. Raina, one of India’s most experienced players, struggled to find rhythm early on and dropped the first set 1-6. However, she showed signs of a comeback in the second set, racing to a 5-3 lead and putting Back under pressure.
At that stage, Raina appeared poised to force a decider, but Back responded with composure, reeling off four consecutive games to close out the match 7-5 and give Korea a 1-0 lead. It was a crucial moment in the tie, as India now faced the prospect of elimination if they failed to respond in the second singles.
Photo: Rahul Goyal , Camshut, bjkcup , Itf , Dlta
India’s answer came through their top-ranked player, Vaishnavi Adkar, who produced one of her most composed performances of the week. Facing Korea’s Sohyun Park, Adkar showcased aggressive baseline play and mental toughness in a tightly contested match that saw both sets decided by tiebreaks.
Adkar edged the first set 7-6 and maintained her intensity in the second, once again holding her nerve in the decisive moments to seal a 7-6, 7-6 victory. The win levelled the tie at 1-1 and shifted momentum back in India’s favour.
Reflecting on her performance, Adkar acknowledged the importance of learning from earlier setbacks in the tournament. She emphasised the role of the home crowd, whose support created a high-energy atmosphere and lifted the team during crucial moments. Her victory not only kept India alive in the tie but also underlined her growing stature as a dependable performer on the international stage.
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With the tie poised at 1-1, the doubles rubber became the decider. Ankita Raina returned to the court alongside Rutuja Bhosale, forming a reliable partnership that has delivered consistently for India in team competitions.
The Indian pair took control early, combining strong serving with sharp net play to dominate proceedings against Korea’s Dayeon Back and Eunhye Lee. They secured the first set 6-2 and maintained their intensity in the second, closing it out 6-3 to seal the tie 2-1 for India.
The doubles win highlighted India’s tactical clarity and experience in team formats, as Raina and Bhosale executed their game plan with precision under pressure.
With this victory, India finished the competition with three wins and two losses, placing third among six teams. Importantly, the result ensures their continued presence in Group I, maintaining their position in the upper tier of the regional competition.
At the top of the standings, Thailand emerged as the leading team, edging Indonesia 2-1 in a closely contested tie. Thailand took an early advantage after Indonesia’s Priska Madelyn Nugroho retired in the opening singles, before Indonesia’s Janice Tjen levelled the tie with a straight-sets win.
The decisive doubles rubber saw Thailand’s experienced pairing of Patcharin Cheapchandej and Peangtarn Plipuech deliver under pressure, securing victory and confirming their place in the next round alongside Indonesia.
Elsewhere, New Zealand defeated Mongolia 3-0 to finish fifth, with Mongolia ending sixth and facing relegation to Group II.
For India, the campaign represents a blend of positives and areas for improvement. The emergence of players like Vaishnavi Adkar, who delivered under pressure against top opposition, adds depth to the squad. Meanwhile, the continued reliability of experienced players like Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale in doubles remains a key strength.
However, the team will also reflect on missed opportunities in earlier ties that ultimately cost them a place in the top two. Fine margins in singles matches and consistency across all rubbers will be areas of focus moving forward.
The presence of senior officials, including AITA president Anil Jain and DLTA president Rohit Rajpal, underscored the significance of the event for Indian tennis. Hosting the competition at the DLTA Complex also highlighted the country’s growing capability to stage international tournaments.
As India looks ahead, the objective will be to build on this foundation and push for qualification in future editions. With a mix of emerging talent and experienced campaigners, the team has the components needed to compete at a higher level.
For now, ending the campaign with a win over a strong Korean side provides both momentum and belief. It reinforces the idea that while India may have fallen short of qualification this time, they remain firmly in contention and capable of challenging the best in the region.
