'Mission accomplished': India women's team secure World Group playoff berth

Pune: For Indian women’s tennis team captain Vishaal Uppal, it was “mission accomplished” after his team secured their World Group Playoff berth in the Billie Jean King Cup.
“At the start, I sent the team a message saying our mission is Project Playoff. And it’s mission accomplished,” Uppal said on Saturday after India beat South Korea 2-1 in their last round-robin match to finish in the top two in Asia-Oceania Group 1.
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“We have just proven when we become ‘We’, what we can achieve. It’s truly amazing. I know I was tough on them this week. I pushed them. But we had Project Playoff. It was a team effort,” said the former Davis Cupper.
Shrivalli Rashmikaa played a stellar role as she won all her five singles matches, but Uppal emphasised on the team bonding, which he said played a vital role in lifting the Hyderabad girl’s performance. “She beat a lot of higher ranked players this week,” he said.
“We’re playing a team competition, and for her to come out and perform like that, I think the credit has to go to the entire team,” he said. “When Shrivalli beat (Hong Yi) Cody Wong (of Hong Kong) the other day and Ankita ran on to the court and hugged her. That says a lot.”
Ankita Raina played her part in the team’s success, combining with fellow senior Prarthana Thombare, to clinch the decisive doubles rubber against Korea. “It was deja-vu for me. When it became one-all against Korea, I remembered the mindset I had in Dubai for doubles, and tried to keep that momentum,” she said, referring to the last time India advanced to the playoffs in 2020.
“And we were aggressive because as we all know that in doubles, the momentum can change quickly,” she said, adding, “We really came together. We are traveling and playing by ourselves, but there’s this one week every year when we come together as a team.”
Prarthana, Asian Games doubles bronze medallist with Sania Mirza in 2014, hit the winning shot — a sizzling forehand service return down the line. And she was modest about it all.
“Sahaja (Yamalapalli) and Shrivalli were fighting their hearts out. And it gives us the confidence,” the 30-year-old from Barshi said. “As much as it is ours, it is each and every person who wants to play tennis. It’s their win as well.”
Japan beat Canada to qualify for finals
Tokyo: Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama defeated Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in the decisive doubles match to secure Japan a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Sunday.
The BJK Cup Finals will be played in Shenzhen in September.