close
Friday October 11, 2024

India hands 3-0 defeat to Pakistan in Davis Cup tie

Men in Blue record eight straight win against national side in Davis Cup

By Sports Desk
February 04, 2024

India on Sunday triumphed over Pakistan with a 3-0 victory to win the Davis Cup after a 6-2, 6(7)-6(5) victory in the doubles category of the World Group I playoff tie in Islamabad.

India's pair of Saketh Myneni and Yuki Myneni outclassed Pakistan's Aqeel Khan and Muzammil Murtaza to bag a key victory against the national side.

The development comes as previously, Khan suffered ost in straight sets, 7-5 6-3, against Sriram Balaji in the singles category with India's Ramkumar Ramanathan defeating Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 6-7(3) 7-6(4) 6-0 to kick off the Men in Blue's campaign on a high note.

"This will go down as a special win for me given we are in Pakistan. It is not easy to win away. Aisam slowed down the game while serving. It was not easy but I was all pumped up," Ramanathan stated after a win over Aisam.

The last tie between the two countries took place in neutral Kazakhstan in 2014 with India winning 4-0.

"The Indian team just reaching Pakistan is already a win for me," Aisam had said earlier.

"I'm happy and proud to be a part of it — that tennis might play a role in mending the ties with India," he noted.

Meanwhile, Indian captain Zeeshan Ali, whose father was part of the 1964 team, described coming to Pakistan as "emotional".

"The last time India played against Pakistan 60 years ago my father was on the team and he played three of the matches which he won," Ali said.

"For me to be back here in Pakistan as captain of the Indian team is an emotional moment", he added expressing hope that the tie would prove positive for the sport of tennis.

"If we can help in any way to spread good friendship and the game of tennis then we would have achieved our goal," he concluded.