BJK cup: India stun Korea but fail to seal playoff spot

New Delhi: Desperate times call for desperate measures. That rang true for India heading into their final Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup tie against South Korea on Saturday. Needing a flawless 3-0 victory to keep their playoff hopes alive, the hosts faced a daunting task against a strong Korean side. While the parallel tie between Indonesia and Thailand also held significance for the final standings, India’s equation was simple – win comprehensively or bow out.The campaign, however, unravelled early. India’s gamble to field Ankita Raina in the opening singles didn’t pay off as she fell 1-6, 5-7 to Dayeon Back. That defeat effectively ended India’s chances of breaking into the top-two and qualifying for the World Group playoffs.Captain Vishal Uppal had kept his strategy under wraps, resting Ankita in the previous tie against Mongolia only to spring a surprise by fielding her in singles. The 33-year-old, ranked 581, came up with a spirited performance in the second set her higher-ranked opponent. India, however, did show resilience. Vaishnavi Adkar delivered a standout performance, defeating Sohyun Park 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in a gritty contest to level the tie. The doubles pair of Ankita and Rutuja Bhosale then sealed a 2-1 win over the Koreans with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory.