Davis Cup 2024: India beat Pakistan 4-0, qualify for World Group 1

India, on Sunday (February 4), defeated Pakistan 4-0 in the Davis Cup 2024 World Group 1 playoff at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad. With this victory, India made their way through to the World Group 1. India also stayed unbeaten against their arch-rivals, having won all their eight ties since 1964.

On Saturday, Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji gave India a 2-0 lead after beating Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan respectively, in the men’s singles.

On Sunday, the pair of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni helped India take an unassailable 3-0 lead. The duo defeated Muzammil Murtaza and Aqeel Khan 6-2, 7-6(5) in doubles.

Bhambri and Myneni dictated terms right from the outset, taking a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serves. It did not take long for the Indian duo to close the set out.

The second set turned out to be a closely-fought affair. In the fifth game, Murtaza saved three break point chances to keep Pakistan in the set. The set eventually went into the tie-breaker where India came up trumps.

At 5-5, Pakistan had a chance of taking the match into the deciding set. However, at match point, Aqeel, who replaced Barkatullah, made a double fault.

Thereafter, Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha defeated Muhammad Shoaib 6-3, 6-4 powering India to a 4-0 lead. Shoaib pulled off some powerful backhands, but it was his forehand shots that let him down. Realising Shoaib’s strength, Poonacha did not give his opponent enough chances to unleash his backhand.

The last match between Balaji and Qureshi did not take place. In his singles match against Ramanathan, Qureshi had struggled with his hamstring.