India's Billie Jean King Cup team: Get acquainted with The Indian players competing in the Play-offs against Slovenia and the Netherlands.

India is set to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs in Bengaluru from November 14-16, facing Slovenia and the Netherlands in a historic event.

The BJK Cup stands as the foremost annual women's tennis competition globally. India is hosting a Cup tie of this magnitude for the inaugural time and has not previously advanced past this point.

Add AllSportsPeople as a preferred news source

India's sole playoff participation occurred in 2021, resulting in a 1-3 defeat against Latvia during an away match in Jurmala. This upcoming challenge is expected to be more demanding for India, as they aim to overcome two teams ranked higher than them—the Netherlands at 14th and Slovenia at 19th, with India positioned at 27th—to secure the top spot in Group G. Success in this endeavor would grant them progression to the 2026 Qualifiers, serving as a pathway to the BJK Cup Finals, the tournament's ultimate prize.

Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs: Indian Team Announced

The Indian squad, under the guidance of non-playing captain Vishaal Uppal, is set to compete against Slovenia and the Netherlands this weekend.

SAI Media

Sahaja Yamalapalli

As the world's 309th ranked player, Sahaja enters the BJK Cup Play-offs as India's top singles competitor. Her rise in the prestigious sport has been remarkable, especially given her beginnings on public courts in Hyderabad, using used racquets and learning from YouTube tutorials.

Her time at Sam Houston State University, where she received a tennis scholarship, equipped her for the demanding nature of professional tennis. Sahaja, aged 25, has secured four ITF singles championships to date and achieved a personal best ranking of 284 in October 2024.

The Indian player enters the Play-offs following a decisive victory against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens and is set to face Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic in the second round at the WTA 250 Chennai Open.

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty

Bhamidipaty had a remarkable first appearance in the Cup in April, winning all five of her matches in Asia/Oceania Group I, which enabled India to qualify for The Play-offs.

While it was the glamorous tennis dresses that first attracted her to the sport, she has stuck to it for sweat-soaked fervour. She is one of the few Indians who has a strong serve and an all-out aggressive game that can rattle some of the better players on tour. However, the 23-year-old hasn’t been able to piece a consistent run on tour and is languishing at 381 in the world.

In recent years, Bhamidipaty has performed exceptionally well in domestic competitions and will be seeking a similar boost in the Play-offs.

READ: 'India hungry for Billie Jean King Cup history,' says captain Vishaal Uppal

Riya Bhatia

The 28-year-old returns to the India squad for the first time since 2022.

Bhatia made a notable debut in 2016, securing both the national hard-court and grass-court championships that year, a first for Any Indian woman. Despite clinching three ITF singles championships, her professional career has faced challenges, peaking at world number 338 in March 2020.

Ranked 180th in doubles at present, Bhatia might serve as a doubles player for India in the Play-offs, potentially filling in for singles or doubles matches when needed.

Ankita Raina

Raina is the sole remaining player from The Class of 2021, the group that led India to their inaugural Play-offs appearance. As an Olympian and a bronze medalist in Asian Games singles, Raina contributes considerable experience and resilience to the squad.

A skilled counter-attacker at 32, she was India's top player for much of the past ten years, reaching a career-best singles ranking of 160. Nevertheless, as younger players have emerged for India in singles, she's shifted to an anchoring position in doubles. Her Cup debut was in 2013, and she's presently ranked 205 in doubles.

MORE: Who win Billie Jean King Cup 2025?

Prarthana Thombare

India's opponents might find an unpredictable Thombare to be their undoing. Hailing from Barshi, a small town in Maharashtra, Thombare learned to play with a wall serving as his sole hitting partner. 

Her compact back-swing and knack for placing the ball where the opposition least anticipates it render her a significant advantage in doubles matches.

Since becoming a professional in 2012, Thombare has secured 30 doubles championships on the ITF and WTA circuits. She also earned a women's doubles bronze medal alongside Sania Mirza at the 2014 Asian Games and competed for India in the 2016 Olympics, again with Mirza. She's consistently been among India's top doubles performers on tour and holds a current doubles ranking of 144.

Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs Group G lineup