Bengaluru
India ended their Billie Jean King Cup playoff weekend with a 0-2 defeat to the Netherlands, losing both singles matches in straight sets at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium.
Shrivalli Bhamidipatty fell 2-6, 4-6 to Anouk Koevermans, while Sahaja Yamalapalli went down 2-6, 3-6 to Dutch No. 1 Suzan Lamens, disappointing a strong turnout of home supporters. With Slovenia already having sealed the group, the tie held no bearing on qualification, but India nevertheless finished bottom of Group G.
Despite brief moments of resistance, the ranking gap proved decisive. Shrivalli, ranked 381, and Sahaja, 309, struggled to sustain pressure against their higher-ranked opponents, who controlled key phases with superior serving and cleaner ball-striking. India showed spirit in patches — particularly when Sahaja fought back to 2-2 in the second set — but neither match threatened to swing their way.
The Netherlands completed a professional outing, underscoring their depth and consistency, while India will look to regroup and build on the experience ahead of future campaigns.
