Indian tennis faces a defining week as the country hosts the Netherlands in the first round of the Davis Cup Qualifier at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru on February 7–8, 2026.
With a place in the second round and a potential clash against South Korea or Argentina at stake, the tie promises high-stakes drama, contrasting playing styles, and an intense test of depth across both singles and doubles.
India’s squad
India have opted for a blend of proven Davis Cup experience and emerging talent.
Singles: Sumit Nagal, DK Suresh & Karan Singh
Doubles: Yuki Bhambri, Rithvik Choudhary Bollipalli
Reserves: Digvijay Pratap Singh, Anirudh Chandrasekhar
The squad reflects a shift in Indian tennis towards athletic, baseline-resilient players who are also capable on faster hard courts a crucial factor in Bengaluru’s altitude-assisted conditions.
India’s singles strength
Sumit Nagal: India’s No. 1 will lead the charge. Nagal’s Davis Cup pedigree is well established his ability to absorb pace, extend rallies, and force errors makes him a dangerous proposition in home conditions. Bengaluru’s bounce and altitude suit his counter-punching game, allowing him to redirect pace and control long baseline exchanges.
The only question mark is his fitness. Nagal is returning from a minor hip niggle, but he has prioritised recovery to be fully fit for the Davis Cup. Historically, Nagal has elevated his level in national colours, and India will bank heavily on him to deliver at least one singles win.
DK Suresh: One of the brightest prospects in Indian tennis, DK Suresh has already shown an ability to handle pressure. His explosive serve, aggressive forehand, and willingness to step inside the baseline make him particularly dangerous in Bengaluru’s quick conditions.
Suresh impressed in his Davis Cup debut and has already shown he can trouble top-level players, including defeating Daniil Medvedev in the World Tennis League. Though he recently recovered from an injury sustained in Bengaluru, his return to college competition has been encouraging. If fully fit, Suresh gives India a powerful second singles option.
Karan Singh: The in-form dark horse. Singh recently defeated Dutchman Max Houkes in the Hyderabad final and has been consistently improving across hard-court events. His big serve and flat ground strokes are well suited to Indian conditions, and he provides India with a strong third option something they have often lacked in previous Davis Cup cycles.
Netherlands’ singles line-up
The Dutch arrive without their two biggest names Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp which significantly weakens their firepower.
Jesper de Jong: De Jong is the Dutch spearhead. He has a solid all-court game, good rally tolerance, and experience at higher levels. His record in altitude conditions is respectable, and he showed flashes of form against elite opposition at the Australian Open. For the Netherlands to stay alive in this tie, De Jong must deliver at least one — and possibly two — singles wins.
Guy den Ouden: A clay-court specialist with a heavy forehand and good point construction, Den Ouden has struggled to translate that form onto hard courts. Recent losses on faster surfaces underline that weakness, making Bengaluru’s conditions particularly challenging for him.
Max Houkes: A left-hander with smooth groundstrokes and tactical intelligence, Houkes has enjoyed success on clay but remains inconsistent on hard courts. His recent India swing was encouraging including a title in Chennai but his loss to Karan Singh in Hyderabad exposed limitations when rushed by pace.
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India appear to have the upper hand in singles depth. With Nagal and Suresh as frontline options and Karan Singh as a capable backup, India can attack all three potential Dutch singles players.
The Netherlands, by contrast, are overly dependent on Jesper de Jong. If he fails to deliver, their chances diminish sharply.
Doubles: the key swing match, India will field Yuki Bhambri and Rithvik Bollipalli, while the Dutch will rely on David Pel and Sander Arends. Pel and Arends are an established pair with big serves and strong net instincts a dangerous combination in Davis Cup doubles. They have far more experience playing together than Bhambri and Bollipalli.
However, there is reason for optimism for India: Bhambri defeated Pel at the Australian Open, Sriram Balaji (who isn’t in this squad) recently beat Arends on the Challenger circuit. Bhambri brings world-class returns, court coverage and tactical awareness, while Bollipalli offers a booming serve and sharp net play. Their chemistry will be tested, but individually they match up well.
This doubles rubber is close to 50-50 though the Dutch pairing has a slight edge due to their familiarity.
Who holds the edge?
Taking everything into account surface, squad depth, and home advantage India enter the tie as slight favourites.
The Dutch side lacks star power and relies heavily on De Jong. India, meanwhile, have two strong singles options and a third capable of stepping in. The doubles rubber remains unpredictable, but if India can secure two singles wins, they won’t even need it.
This tie represents India’s best opportunity in years to move deeper into the Davis Cup Qualifiers and Bengaluru could well become the stage for a breakthrough.
