NEW DELHI
Tennis star Zeel Desai admitted to a classic case of pre-match jitters before delivering a flawless performance in her singles debut at the Billie Jean King Cup. Competing in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Authority Complex, Desai swept past Mongolia’s Anu-Vjin Gantor with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 scoreline.
“I was so nervous and also excited at the same time,” Desai told reporters. Despite the pressure of the national spotlight, she stuck to a disciplined strategy that left her opponent without a single game. The victory was part of a total “rout” by the Indian squad, Sahaja Yamalapalli mirrored Desai’s 6-0, 6-0 win, while the doubles pair of Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale dropped only one game in their 6-1, 6-0 victory.
The dominant win provided a much-needed boost for India following a tough 0-3 loss to Indonesia. Desai noted that while the previous defeat was disappointing, the team entered the Mongolia tie with “small goals” and high confidence. The home crowd’s vocal support played a major role, with Desai praising the electric atmosphere in Delhi.
India now prepares for a critical showdown against the Republic of Korea, hoping to carry this momentum forward in the round-robin standings.
