Indian Fed Cup team creates history as they book play-offs berth

Ankita Raina leads India to victory after Rutuja Bhosale lost the opening rubber against Indonesia

On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Indian Fed Cup team capped off a successful Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tournament as they booked their berth in the Fed Cup Play-offs for the first time in Indian tennis history. India won four back-to-back matches in the tournament to finish second and thus, promoted themselves into the play-offs where they will meet Latvia on 17-18 April.

In the opening rubber, Rutuja Bhosale, world no 433, suffered an upset defeat against her 16-year-old unranked Indonesian opponent Priska Madelyn Nugroho 3-6, 6-0, 3-6.

With team India’s back against the wall, it was the top ranked Indian in the world, Ankita Raina (160), who chose the most appropriate time to win her singles rubber to make it 1:1. Raina had fallen short in the previous two singles rubbers in the tournament but on the final day, she won in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 against Aldila Sutjiadi.

In the deciding doubles rubber, India once again fielded their most successful and experienced pairing of Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina. The Indonesians were up to the task as they fought hard in the opening set and stretched it to tie-break before the Indian pair eventually won it 7-6.

However, the Indians were determined to not have any more drama in the match and breezed to a 6-0 in second set and won the tie 2:1 to book their ticket to the Fed Cup Play-offs.

Previously in India’s Fed Cup history, a runner up finish at Asia/Oceania Group I in 2006 was India’s best performance.

Players’ results at the Asia/Oceania Group I tournament:

Ankita Raina: Singles W/L: 2/3, Doubles W/L: 3/0

Sania Mirza: Singles W/L: -/-, Doubles W/L: 3/0

Rutuja Bhosale: Singles W/L: 3/2, Doubles W/L: -/-

Sowjanya Bavisetti: Singles W/L: -/-, Doubles W/L: 1/1

Riya Bhatia: Singles W/L: -/-, Doubles W/L: 1/1

(Round-robin League Standings below)

Photo Credit: Fed Cup