India’s women’s tennis team began their Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group I campaign with a narrow 1–2 defeat to New Zealand on April 8 at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex in Pune.
🎾 Match Summary
- Singles Match 1: Shrivalli Bhamidipaty delivered a commanding performance, defeating New Zealand’s Aishi Das 6–1, 6–1 in under an hour, giving India an early 1–0 lead.
- Singles Match 2: Sahaja Yamalapalli faced a challenging opponent in Lulu Sun. Despite her efforts, Yamalapalli fell 3–6, 3–6, allowing New Zealand to level the tie at 1–1.
- Doubles Match: The deciding match featured India’s Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun and Monique Barry. The Indian duo fought valiantly but ultimately lost 3–6, 4–6, resulting in a 2–1 victory for New Zealand.
Despite the initial setback, India remained focused and went on to secure victories in subsequent matches, eventually qualifying for the World Group Playoffs.
