It's surreal, dream come true for Fed Cup team

The Indian women's tennis team was in a state of disbelief long after it had entered a territory never explored by its predecessors -- a place in the Fed Cup playoffs.

The Indian Fed Cup team created history on Saturday night by progressing to the playoffs for the first time ever with Ankita Raina leading the side to a 2-1 win over Indonesia in Dubai.

In the past, Raina would take most of the load, but with the rise of Karman Kaur Thandi, the team began to challenge tougher opponents.

Karman, who has a good game with a fierce forehand, pulled out this year due to a foot injury and in her absence, Rutuja Bhosale perfectly fit into the scheme of things. Captain Vishal Uppal reposed faith in her, preferring the Pune girl over the higher-ranked Riya Bhatia and she did not disappoint.

She won three singles matches while Ankita won two singles and combined with the seasoned Sania Mirza to win three doubles as well.

"I had dreamt of this and believed but after the tie I couldn't actually believe, I asked Rutuja twice if we actually qualified," Ankita toId PTI from Dubai.

"It's just great to be a part of something so special that'll be recorded in history and it's an honour to have a chance to do with Sania, especially after her pregnancy."
"It is a very good exposure for me as it will help me in the rest of the tour. Playing tough matches everyday just proves so much mettle."
"I would say it's a gift for all the Indian women from team india on Women's Day."
"I think continuous travelling and eating different food created acidity which troubled me this week a lot, but once I go back to pune will look into it."
"We all came together and worked towards a common goal. Having achieved it feels amazing. I hope this will give a big boost to Women's tennis in India!