Ankita Raina in action against Daeyon Back of Korea Republic in the BJK Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 match opening singles at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: Rahul Goyal/Camshut
Captain Vishaal Uppal’s inexplicable decision to nominate veteran Ankita Raina, in place of Sahaja Yamalapalli, for the crucial tie against Korea Republic backfired as the 33-year-old went down in the opening singles and with it went whatsoever improbable chance the team had of making it to the World Group Playoff of the Billie Jean King Cup on Saturday.
What transpired over the remainder of the day at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi was of mere academic interest.
After Ankita lost to Daeyon Back 1-6, 5-7, Vaishnavi Adkar produced some terrific tennis to edge Sohyun Park 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) before Ankita returned to the court to partner Rutuja Bhosale for a 6-2, 6-2 win over Back and Eunhye Lee.
The 2-1 on the final day of the six-team regional competition saw the hosts tie Korea on points, both had three wins and two losses each, but the former was placed third and the latter fourth based on head-to-head.
Both the nations retained their place in Asia-Oceania Group 1 for 2027.
While both were in a must-win situation in order to finish in the top two in the final standings, India needed a 3-0 result against Korea and Indonesia to beat Thailand by an identical margin to advance.
As it turned out, Thailand (who had beaten India 2-1 on the opening day of the week) edged Indonesia (who had blanked Uppal’s side on Thursday) 2-1 to emerge on top. Both qualified for the playoffs.
TRYING TO PULL A RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT
Why did the captain opted for a 33-year-old who had been primarily a doubles player for the past couple of seasons will be a talking point in the weeks and months to come.
Ankita had reached the final of a W35 event in Kalaburagi early last month, but it was a weak field.
Did he not have enough faith in Sahaja to deliver?
If that was the case, Ankita could have been fielded against punching bags Mongolia on Friday, when India dropped just one game over three matches.
That would have been not only a good warm-up for the Asian Games bronze medallist, but also would have kept Sahaja fresh for Saturday’s climax.
A YEAR AGO AND NOW
To be fair to Uppal, he was handicapped by the absence of Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty, who had been the star of India’s campaign in the zonal competition last year when she won all her singles matches.
In April 2025 at the Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mhalunge-Balewadi, the captain and the players were overwhelmed by emotions and shed copious tears after booking their playoff berth only for the second time ever.
Twelve months later, the team’s fortunes couldn’t have been more different.
Shrivalli’s career has hit speed bumps with injuries setting her back and her ranking nose-diving. In the latest set back a month ago, Shrivalli retired from her first-round match in Kalaburagi.
Yet, when a player pulls out citing back spasm and then opts to go through a training block the same week as the competition, something doesn’t feel right.
VAISHNAVI, SAHAJA HAVE ROOM FOR GROWTH
Much was expected of the 21-year-old Vaishnavi Adkar, but it is clear the Pune girls has areas to work on. How different the script would have been had she won her debut match against Thailand’s Anchisa Chanta on the opening day?
In her own words, Vaishnavi was a bit undone by nerves of representing the country for the first time. The fact is, a chance to perform on home soil and impress those with big bucks and make big decisions, especially with the Asian Games is in the horizon, has gone abegging.
Same could be said of Sahaja, who lost a hard-fought three-setter against Patcharin Cheapchandej in the second singles the same day. The 25-year-old from Telangana, a hard-working self-made player that she is, needs to fine some quick solutions to what is hampering her before time runs out.
Cross Court Winner 