The Netherlands, who are currently sixth in the world rankings, will be captained by Paul Haarhuis, a former doubles world No. 1 and Grand Slam winner. The visiting team features Jesper de Jong, Guy den Ouden, Max Houkes, David Pel, and Sander Arends.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Guy den Ouden and Sander Arends arrived a day early and were the first to hit the courts in Bengaluru, starting their preparations for what is expected to be a tightly fought match. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019ve visited India before, in Pune, and it\u2019s a great feeling to be back for such an important Davis Cup tie. We\u2019ve seen the stadium and the facilities, and we\u2019re ready to give our best. In the end, what you can always control is your energy. You have the court, the opponent and the conditions, but if you play with intensity and heart, then we\u2019ll see where we stand by the end of the weekend,\u201d said den Ouden, who rose to prominence in 2020 after reaching the boys\u2019 singles semifinals at the French Open.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Arends, an experienced doubles specialist, echoed those sentiments, saying, \u201cPlaying for your country is always special. The matches are individual, but there\u2019s a strong team aspect. The vibe, the energy and the pressure are all different from regular tour events. In Davis Cup ties, anything can happen, and rankings don\u2019t always tell the full story.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In 2025, Arends achieved his career-high ATP doubles ranking of World No. 23 and has secured several ATP titles, establishing himself as a significant player in a format where doubles matches can often be crucial. Although the top two singles players are absent, choosing to concentrate on the Rotterdam Open, Arends is confident that the Dutch team is still strong, buoyed by their historic run to the Davis Cup Final in 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be a very close tie, even though on paper we might be considered favourites, we\u2019re here with five very strong players, ready to perform against a very good Indian team,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In 2025, Arends achieved his career-high ATP doubles ranking of World No. 23 and has secured several ATP titles, establishing himself as a significant player in a format where doubles matches can often be crucial. Although the top two singles players are absent, choosing to concentrate on the Rotterdam Open, Arends is confident that the Dutch team is still strong, buoyed by their historic run to the Davis Cup Final in 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With preparations progressing smoothly and both teams in great spirits, the stage is ready for an exciting Davis Cup weekend in Bengaluru.<\/p>\r\n\r\n