Davis Cup Preview: India will look to impress against Denmark in playoff

The tie will be played in Delhi across two days at the prestigious Delhi Gymkhana Club.

The Indian lawn tennis team will face-off against Denmark in the Davis Cup World Group playoff I on March 4 and March 5. Indians are the three-time finalists but will have their hands full against higher-ranked opponents. Delhi Gymkhana Club is an iconic venue with multiple grass courts that will welcome Davis Cup action after a gap of almost five decades. 

The tie will be played out on the pacy grass courts of the DGC which makes things very exciting indeed. This is the first time since 2019, that India will host a Davis Cup tie. The tournament, famously sees countries go head to head in team formats. Both nations will have exciting rosters fielding for them on the court, hoping to secure the win.

The tie will also see the return of spectators inside the stadiums. On that note, let us take a look at what is in store for the tennis fans who are eager to watch their favourite stars in action. 

Team India

The Indian team will be the underdogs despite having the home advantage. Interestingly, all of the team members are not placed inside the top-100 ranks. Denmark is a higher-ranked team in comparison. 

Rohan Bopanna is the most experienced player in the team and will hope the lead the troops well. The squad includes Ramkumar Ramanathan (177), Rohan Bopanna (213), Prajnesh Gunneswaran (232), Yuki Bhambri (662), Divij Sharan (1558). The reserves are Saketh Myneni (602) and Digvijay Pratap Singh (non-ranked).

Team Denmark 

The Europeans will pose a strong challenge to the Indians when they meet on the grass court in a couple of days’ time. Their Davis Cup squad includes the likes of Mikael Torpegaard (ranked 210), Johannes Ingildsen (ranked 805), Christian Sigsgaard (ranked 833), Elmer Møller (ranked 1708), Frederik Løchte Nielsen (captain). 

"Denmark are a very good side. We have been preparing well for our matches and now we just need to focus on our strengths. That will be our strategy going forward”, expressed Rohit Rajpal, India’s non-playing captain in regards to Denmark.

Key Players

Rohan Bopanna (India)

Rohan Bopanna is the most experienced player in India’s Davis Cup team. The 41-year-old is a former French Open winner in Mixed Doubles. He will be one of the key players for his team. There will be a lot of expectations from the fans who will hope that Bopanna can deliver wins from doubles matches. 

He has won two titles (Adelaide International and Maharashtra Open) with compatriot Ramkumar Ramanathan in 2022 and will hope to carry that momentum in the Davis Cup fixtures. Currently ranked 38 in doubles, Bopanna will be the man to watch out for.

Frederik Nielsen (Denmark)

Denmark’s Frederik Nielsen can be a tricky player for the Indians. He is adept at playing on grass and is also a former Wimbledon champion. 

He won the prestigious title back in 2012 playing alongside Jonathan Marray in Men’s Doubles. The Danish camp will be relying on its captain to lead by example. 

Broadcast

The Davis Cup tie between India vs Denmark will be streamed on Jio TV.

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