The man whose name translates to ‘The God of the South’ turned out to be India’s miracle worker at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru over the weekend, as Dhakshineswar Suresh inspired the Indian team to a stunning 3-2 win in their Davis Cup 2026 Qualifier 1 tie against the Netherlands.
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By the time the 25-year-old fell to the court and was mobbed by the whole Indian team, Dhakshineswar (or ‘DK’ as he likes to be called} was involved in all three points that gave India the win, with his two singles victories coming either side of partnering Yuki Bhambri in a marathon doubles tie that gave India a 2-1 lead early on Sunday evening.
India needed a hero, and up stepped Dhakshineswar, with an ATP rank of 470, in only his second Davis Cup tie ever. Even if that was a deceptive rank (DK does not play on tour, only on the college circuit, where he has been NCAA doubles #1 and singles #3), it did not undermine the size of his feat.
Not since Leander Paes did it against Japan in 2004, had India seen a player play three matches in a Davis Cup tie and win all three of them. Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, Dhakshineswar’s massive serve really rattled the Netherlands throughout the tie. In the deciding singles match against Guy den Ouden, Dhakshineswar served 15 aces in a straight sets win. India are now a win against South Korea in South Korea away from the eight-team Davis Cup finals tournament to be held in Italy at the end of the year.
Scenes from an historic win for India on home soil as they beat Netherlands 3-2 in an epic encounter ������
Dhakshineswar Suresh beats Guy Ouden 6-4, 7-6 (4) to help his nation progress to Qualifiers 2nd Round ��#DavisCup pic.twitter.com/8f5hhZ4KlD
– Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 8, 2026
“He can’t see the ball,” the Indians fans sang through the duration of that fifth match, to mock den Ouden’s inability to find an effective response to Dhakshineswar’s serving. They may not have been just exaggerating with a poetic license. Den Ouden didn’t know what had hit him, just like world no.88 Jesper de Jong found out the night before. Perhaps the Netherlands’ two highest-ranked singles players, Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp, might have fared better – but Dutch team had considered their second rung enough to beat India. They soon found out otherwise.
“He makes us feel mortal,” said Bhambri, speaking about Dhakshineswar’s serve. Bhambri provided an immense supporting act in that doubles tie, which India won in a third-set tie-break that they dominated thanks to some sizzling groundstrokes from him. The mortals, as Bhambri called himself and his teammates, responded by carrying Dhakshineswar around the court, as an adoring Bengaluru crowd, which has now adopted the big man as one of their own, serenaded him with hymns, and then Sumit Nagal took the stadium announcer’s mic to scream, “DK Suresh, what a legend, what a player!” as happiness knew no bounds in the India camp.
It was a big decision for captain Rohit Rajpal to make on the start of Day 2, with Sriram Balaji originally nominated to partner Bhambri for the doubles match, but he was replaced by Dhakshineswar. “It wasn’t a random decision,” Bhambri said after that win. The Indian team had planned for a situation where Dhakshineswar may have to play the doubles, and he had even trained with Bhambri in the lead-up to the tie in Bengaluru. The fast courts at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium suited his style. India had a literal and metaphoric ace up their sleeve, they wanted him to be on court for as much of the tie as was possible.
That supporting act from Bhambri was all that Dhakshineswar got on court throughout the weekend. Of course, the stands were fairly packed, and willing the team on through every point.
After a stunning Davis Cup debut in the last round against Switzerland that got India to this stage, it was time for Dhakshineswar to take centre-stage once again.
He had to because India’s singles no. 1 Sumit Nagal, who was struggling with a hip injury, lost both his singles matches in the tie, first to den Ouden on Saturday, and then to de Jong on Sunday. Both were three-setters with wild swings of momentum, but Nagal just didn’t do enough, leaving Dhakshineswar with it all to do.
So, all he did. Dhakshineswar kept India alive first, against world no. 88 Jesper de Jong, he did so in style, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, with a performance that screamed calm and composure. Then came the toughest part of the tie, playing two matches in a day. It was a tough ask as is, now picture this: you’ve played a three-hour doubles match, have a three-hour rest, and have to come back on court for a singles match which is winner-takes-all. Dhakshineswar said he had only one thing in mind: winning the tie for India.
And so he did. Three matches played. Three matches won. Serve unbroken throughout those three matches. Over the course of one weekend, Dhakshineswar Suresh became the new toast of Indian tennis. He did it all on his own, with little helping hands along the way from Yuki Bhambri and a loud home crowd that, at times, bordered on the rowdy.
In the south of India, the ‘God of the South’ put his divine touch on this tie.
