Bengaluru, Feb. 9 -- There are Davis Cup ties that are won on the scoreboard, and then there are those that are won in the heart. India's 3-2 victory over the Netherlands belonged firmly to the latter, shaped by courage on court and quiet faith off it, as captain Rohit Rajpal revealed that Sumit Nagal "fought like a tiger" to carry the team through a demanding contest.
Nagal, India's number one, walked onto court carrying a grade-two tear in his hip, short of match play and even shorter on preparation. Operating at well below full fitness, he lost both his singles matches against Guy de Ouden and Jesper de Jong, yet never stepped away from responsibility. "This is not even 50 percent of Sumit Nagal," India Captain Rohit Rajpal admitted, un...