'Three Hours Of Bad Tennis Hurt Us': Vishal Uppal Admits India’s Slow Start As Hosts Miss Billie Jean King Cup Play-Off Spot

New Delhi, April 12: India signed off their Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I campaign with a 2-1 win over South Korea, but it was not enough to secure qualification for the World Group Play-offs, as Thailand and Indonesia claimed the top two spots.

India captain Vishal Uppal reflected on the campaign with a sense of regret, pointing to a costly slow start against Thailand. "The high is obviously that we beat Korea. The low is the fact that we played three hours of bad tennis at the start of the week, which has cost us. Otherwise, we would have had that medal today," Uppal said.

He added that the missed opportunity still stings. "It's not hindsight. It's hurting right now. Competing, we knew we had to beat Thailand and Korea to qualify. Just two-three hours of bad tennis on day one and it's a different story."

India's early setback came with losses from Vaishnavi Adkar and Sahaja Yamlapalli in a rain-affected tie against Thailand, a result that ultimately proved decisive in a tightly contested group stage. Uppal described the campaign as a "week of missed chances," highlighting narrow defeats where India failed to capitalize despite being in contention.

Senior player Ankita Raina emphasized the emotional significance of representing the country. "It's definitely a privilege playing for the country. You don't get many opportunities. When I was on court, the only thing on my mind was to do my best for the team," she said.

Reflecting on her singles match, Raina added, "I did create opportunities, but maybe it wasn't my day. That's sport, you accept it and move on. It hurts, but it's always special to play for India."

There were positives for the team, particularly in doubles, where Raina and Rutuja Bhosale expressed interest in continuing their partnership ahead of upcoming events like the Asian Games. "We've played together before and have good coordination. It's always fun to share the court with someone you've known for years," Bhosale said.

Youngster Adkar also took valuable lessons from the tournament. "One of the biggest takeaways for me was learning how to deal with nerves. I struggled initially but improved as the tournament went on," she noted.

Looking ahead, Uppal remained optimistic about the team's future. "When you play for the country, it's a different mentality. You're not just playing for yourself but for 140 crore people. The youngsters have the game, but they need to grow in mindset and physical strength," he said.

"For me, there's more hope than disappointment. The girls will only improve from here," he added.