Tennis: India Reach Billie Jean King Cup World Group Playoffs
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
India Hold Firm Against Stiff Competition
India were drawn into a challenging section during the Asia/ Oceania Group Stage, pitted alongside China, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and the formidable South Korea, whom they lost to in three of their last four encounters.
Heading into the final match of the group, Team India were set to face the Koreans in a do-or-die contest, and they rose to the occasion in some style, with Shrivalli Bhamidipaty giving them the perfect start by winning her singles match.
Bhamidipaty was made to work for the win, though. Facing Park Sohyun, Bhamidipaty was outplayed and dropped the first set, but she came storming back thereafter, clinching the second set 6-3, before holding her nerve in the final set that required a tiebreaker to decide.
In the doubles category, Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare teamed up in spectacular fashion, showing off their incredible chemistry and determination to overcome the duo of Sohyun Park and Dabin Kin in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
While Raina’s ability and composure under pressure are well-known to Indian tennis fans, Thombare’s performance in the match was truly outstanding, as she displayed incredible consistency throughout the match and closed out games with aplomb.
The victory was a momentous one for Indian women’s tennis, as it marked only the second time that India earned qualification to the Billie Jean Cup World Group Playoffs, with the previous instance coming back in 2020 under the leadership of Vishaal Uppal.
Uppal played a crucial role in this tournament as well, responsible for creating and implementing the team’s strategies, while also serving as a mentor for the players through the highs and lows they experienced during the competition.
There is plenty of action from the courts across the globe ongoing at present, and you can keep up with every match by using our tennis livescore tool!
What's Next for the India Tennis Team?
The victory in the Asia/ Oceania Group Stage means that Team India have now earned their right of entry to the Billie Jean King Cup World Group Playoffs, where they will come up against some of the best singles and doubles players from across the globe.
Their immediate challenge with be against the top-performers at the 2025 Regional Group I events and the Playoffs will be contested as groups of three teams with the winners securing their place at the 2026 qualifiers.
The 2025 Billie Jean King Cup finals will be staged between September 16 and 21 at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre in China, featuring eight teams: Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, China, and the United States.
Our tennis predictions will be available for all the headline matches, so be sure to check them out closer to the start of the competition.
