New Delhi, Feb 1 India made a strong start to their Davis Cup 2025 campaign on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead over Togo on the opening day of the World Group I Playoffs at the DLTA Complex. Mukund Sasikumar and Ramkumar Ramanathan put in commanding performances to win their respective singles ties, bringing Team India to the cusp of a victory.
Mukund secured a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory over Liova Ajavon in the opening match, setting the tone for India's campaign with a 1-0 lead before Ramkumar doubled India’s advantage with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over Thomas Setodji, much to the delight of the Indian fans at the DLTA Complex, who waved the tricolour flags, roared their support for every point won, and created an electric atmosphere that fueled the Indian players' performances.
Playing in front of a home crowd, the opening set began on a positive note for Mukund, who claimed the first game with confidence, before Ajavon responded by levelling the score, creating a tense contest. The momentum shifted in Mukund's favour during the third game when he successfully defended a crucial potential break before decisively breaking Ajavon’s serve. Despite Ajavon's fierce attempts to regain control in game five, Mukund maintained his composure, eventually winning the set 6-2.
The second set proved to be more straightforward for Mukund, who dominated from the outset. He stormed to a commanding 4-0 lead, displaying clinical precision in both his serves and returns. Mukund secured the set 6-1 and, consequently, the match. A short break later, Ramanathan and Setodji took to the courts, with the former taking no time to establish a commanding lead. Ramkumar's powerful forehands and aggressive baseline play left Setodji struggling to find his rhythm. Dominating every aspect of the game, Ramkumar cruised through the first set with a flawless 6-0 scoreline.
Setodji regrouped in the second set, showing signs of resilience to claim two games. Despite the brief momentum shift, Ramkumar remained unshaken, continuing to dictate play with precise serves and relentless groundstrokes. His composure and consistency paid off as he sealed a commanding 6-0, 6-2 victory, further bolstering India's lead in the tie to end day one’s play.
Speaking on his team’s performance on Day 1, India’s non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal said, “Both the boys played fantastic today. I am very happy that they both stuck to the plan and played some fantastic tennis. But I’d say it’s not over till it’s over, so let’s stay focused and get it done tomorrow.”
“We discussed our plans quite a bit. It looked easy because these guys played very well. They didn’t give a chance to the other guys to get into their rhythm. Whatever we planned, the boys executed it beautifully. It looked easier than it was, but that was because they stuck to the plan,” Rajpal added.
With India only needing one win to seal the tie, Day Two will begin with N. Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli facing off against Setodji and Padio Isak in the doubles match. Mukund and Ramkumar will then return to the court to contest the remaining two singles matches, with the former facing Setodji and the latter Ajavon.
Results (Day 1 Round-up):
Mukund Sasikumar (IND) bt Liova Ajavon (TOG) 6-2, 6-1
Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) bt Thomas Setodji (TOG) 6-0, 6-2
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