Davis Cup 2022: From oblivion, tennis returns to Delhi Gymkhana Club after 49 years-Sports News , Firstpost

It was the winter of 1966. West Germany’s best were in town. Actors Dilip Kumar, Saira Bano and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sat in attendance. Ramanathan Krishnan, Jaidip Mukherjea and Premjit Lall carried India’s hopes. Delhi Gymkhana Club’s grass courts was the venue for this Davis Cup tie.

Krishnan, twice a Wimbledon semi-finalist. Mukherjea had gone to the fourth round at all majors. Over on the other side were Wilhelm Bungert and Ingo Buding. Bungert an Australian Open quarter-finalist. Buding had made the last-eight of French Open. They were coached by two-time Wimbledon finalist Kurt Nielsen.

In the reverse singles, Mukherjea clinched the tie for India with the scoreline standing at 2-1 in hosts’ favour. A four setter was needed to overcome Bungert, after India had gone down in the doubles rubber. A big moment for local tennis as India progressed to the final of the Inter Zonal stage.

It was the last Delhi Gymkhana Club saw of the scintillating national team competition. That all is set to change on Friday, Saturday (4-5 March) as India host Denmark in the Group I Play-off tie.

The venue has dropped down the pecking order of preferred venues for tennis tournaments. Its 28 grass courts, second only to Wimbledon’s 41 in a single complex, finding not many takers as the game moves largely to clay and hard courts.

Legendary tennis players from the country plied their trade at the Delhi Gymkhana Club. Mukherjea won the national singles title twice – both against Premjit Lall. Sumant ‘Tiny’ Misra, referred to as the “grandfather of Indian tennis”, would play socially at the club. Vijay Amritraj got his first major victory, in Indian Open, at the club in 1973.

Delhi Gymkhana Club last played host to a Davis Cup tie in 1973. Image: Tanuj Lakhina/Firstpost

Delhi Gymkhana Club has now expanded to the needs of the modern game. There are clay and hard courts separated by a wall. Members of all ages pack the courts. But the pull remains the grass courts. Delhi Gymkhana Club were being helped by the Delhi Golf Club to prepare and maintain the lush green grass. One court, the main court, was cordoned off as work continued to get the seating in place.

Om Pathak, administrator of the club, hopes the Davis Cup tie is going to be a shift in momentum for tennis in India and for the venue. “We’re hoping this could be a trigger for a star in the making. For youngsters to get interested in the game. Our effort, our crusade will not just end with the Davis Cup but will be a beginning. We have the will and the resources to further develop this sport,” he told Firstpost in an exclusive conversation.

Pathak oversaw installation of temporary stands on one of the grass courts with seating capacity of 3800 people on a first come, first serve basis. An Army man and a former UP cadre IAS officer, Pathak wants the Club to go beyond tennis and venture into squash and badminton as well.

“Most of the things didn’t happen because leaders weren’t interested. People need to have the vision and they know how to live that vision,” said Pathak on the lengthy absence for DGC on the Indian tennis map.

“We’ve been at it for 45 days now. We had to inspect the courts, decide the venue, within the venue look at which court. A lot of technical expertise had to be brought in. All of that was done and we’re in the thick of it now,” he added.

India’s Davis Cup tie against Denmark will be played on grass at the Delhi Gymkhana Club. Image: Tanuj Lakhina/Firstpost

Members of the Indian team assembled 10 days in advance to prepare for the pivotal tie. Coach Zeeshan Ali has at his disposal Niki Poonacha, Digvijay Pratap Singh and Divij Sharan as inspections continue on a warm February afternoon. There are more youngsters roped in to help with the rallies. Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Yuki Bhambri, Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni were all on their way from different parts of the world.

Denmark, depleted by the absence of top-ranked Holger Rune, will be led by World No 305 Mikael Torpegaard. Coach Frederik Nielsen, a 2012 Wimbledon men’s doubles winner, will carry the hopes in the doubles rubber.

At the draw on Thursday, Ramanathan and Bhambri have been named as the singles entries with Bopanna partnering Sharan in the doubles. Ramanathan takes on Christian Sigsgaard in the opening rubber on Friday followed by Bhambri vs Torpegaard.

On the second day, the doubles gets the tie going followed by the reverse singles rubbers.

India are hosting a Davis Cup tie for the first time since the pandemic struck. The last tie was also played on grass, against Italy, in Kolkata. This is Delhi’s first Davis Cup tie since 2016 when they were soundly beaten 5-0 by Rafael Nadal-led Spain. This will be India’s first, and third overall, assignment against Denmark since September 1984 when the former won 3-2 at Aarhus.

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