New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- Only a few could pinpoint Togo, a West African football-loving country neighbouring Ghana, with a population of less than one-third of Delhi, on the tennis map. For a stretch of 19 years, they were on a hiatus from the prestigious Davis Cup tournament, until the French-speaking nation made a return in 2022, and what followed was a remarkable turnaround. Togo won 10 of their 11 Davis Cup fixtures in the last two years, including a 3-2 win against Indonesia last year, followed by a stunning 4-0 victory over Latvia in their backyard, which earned them a promotion to the World Group I play-offs.

Up ahead lies a tougher opponent in India, who will have the home crowd behind them, but the spirited Togo side has their eyes...