BENGALURU : India’s hopes of progressing in the Billie Jean King Cup play-offs suffered a heavy blow on Sunday, as a clinical Netherlands side marched to a commanding 3–0 victory in their Group G encounter at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium. The hosts, who had entered the tie with optimism and home-court advantage, struggled to match the consistency, pace, and strategic precision displayed by the Dutch players throughout the day.
The contest opened with the first singles rubber, where India’s Shrivalli Bhamidipaty faced Anouk Koevermans. Shrivalli, known for her strong baseline game and fighting spirit, started energetically but was unable to impose herself on crucial points. Koevermans, showing excellent court coverage and a composed temperament under pressure, dictated rallies early on. The Dutch player broke serve midway through the first set and rode the momentum to a 6–2 win.
In the second set, Shrivalli attempted to reset her rhythm by varying pace and angles, looking to extend rallies and force errors. For a brief spell, she managed to stay competitive, even pushing Koevermans into long baseline exchanges. However, the Indian player’s unforced errors at key junctures proved costly. Koevermans maintained her steady shot-making and wrapped up the set 6–4, giving the Netherlands a 1–0 lead and placing the Indian side under immediate pressure.
The second singles match featured Sahaja Yamalapalli against world No. 87 Suzan Lamens, the highest-ranked player in the tie. Lamens came out firing, using her powerful groundstrokes and assertive court positioning to keep Sahaja constantly on the defensive. The Indian player, despite her best efforts to counter with aggressive returns and deep forehands, found it difficult to disrupt Lamens’ rhythm.
Lamens raced through the first set 6–2, capitalising on Sahaja’s tentative serving and the occasional short balls that allowed her to step in and finish points quickly. The second set saw Sahaja elevate her level, moving with greater purpose and attempting to construct points more proactively. She managed to hold serve more comfortably and even pressured the Dutch star with a couple of well-timed drop shots and forehand winners.
However, Lamens’ experience and superior match control made the difference. She broke Sahaja’s serve at 3–3 and never looked back, sealing the match 6–3 to hand the Netherlands an unassailable 2–0 advantage. The win reflected Lamens’ ability to remain composed while executing her tactical plan with precision.
With the tie already decided, the Dutch team completed the 3–0 sweep in the doubles encounter, underlining their overall dominance on the day. Though the doubles details brought little comfort to the home supporters, the match served as an important learning experience for the Indian squad.
For India, the defeat was a disappointing conclusion to their play-off campaign, but the performances—particularly the fighting stretches from both Shrivalli and Sahaja—offered glimpses of potential. The team will look to rebuild, address areas of inconsistency, and return stronger in future international outings.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, walk away from Bengaluru with a confidence-boosting victory and crucial points in their quest for upward movement in the Billie Jean King Cup pathway.
