India sweep New Zealand in Group I tennis tie

The Indian women’s tennis team beat New Zealand 3-0 to register their first win in the Billie Jean King Cup 2026 Asia-Oceania Group I at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association Stadium on Wednesday.

Vaishnavi Adkar, ranked No. 383, got the Indian team up and running with a 6-2, 6-4 straight sets victory over Aishi Das in the opening singles rubber.

The 21-year-old Indian tennis player was in total control of the contest against her opponent, 1148th in the WTA rankings, and wrapped up a comfortable victory in one and a half hours.

World No. 384 Sahaja Yamalapalli then gave India an unassailable lead in the best-of-three tie after defeating Valentina Ivanov 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 25 minutes.

The first set saw the Indian player break world No. 430 Ivanov in all four of her service games while only dropping one of her own. The second one was a tighter affair but Yamalapalli took it comfortably in the end.

Olympian Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale then wrapped up the clean sweep in the doubles rubber, defeating Monique Barry and Erin Routliffe 6-4, 6-2.

The New Zealand triumph marked India’s first victory in the BJKC 2026 Asia/Oceania Group I.

Earlier in the day, the Indian team lost 2-1 against Thailand in a tie which was postponed midway after heavy rains on Tuesday.

Thailand took a 1-0 lead after Anchisa Chanta upset Vaishnavi Adkar in the opening rubber. Patcharin Cheapchandej was leading Sahaja Yamalapalli 6-4, 1-6, 4-3 when rain halted play on Tuesday.

After resumption on Wednesday, Yamalapalli saved a match point but eventually lost the match 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, handing the Thai team the tie.

Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale managed a consolation win in doubles, overpowering Thasaporn Naklo and Peangtarn Plipuech 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets to make the scoreline 2-1.

With one win and one luss under their belt, the Indian team are set to face the Republic of Korea in their next BJKC tie on Thursday. They will also play Indonesia and Mongolia before the group concludes.

All six teams in the Billie Jean King Cup 2026 Asia/Oceania Group I are competing in a round-robin format through Saturday, with the top two nations advancing to the playoffs.

Last year, India hosted the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I stage for the first time at Pune’s Mahalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex.

The Indian tennis team finished the group as runner-ups behind New Zealand to qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs. However, India’s run ended in the playoffs after losses to the Netherlands and Slovenia.

Billie Jean King Cup 2026 Asia-Oceania Group I Day 2 results

India beat New Zealand 3-0

Vaishnavi Adkar (IND) def. Aishi Das (NZ) 6-2, 6-4

Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) def. Valentina Ivanov (NZ) 6-1, 6-3

Ankita Raina/Rutuja Bhosale (IND) def. Monique Barry/Erin Routliffe (NZ) 6-4, 6-2

South Korea def. Thailand 2-0

Daehyon Back (KOR) def. Anchisa Chanta (THA) 6-3, 6-4

Sohyun Park (KOR) def. Patcharin Cheapchandej (THA) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles ongoing

Indonesia beat Mongolia 3-0

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