NEW DELHI: April in India is usually defined by rising temperatures, dry winds and sweltering afternoons. This year, however, has broken the pattern, bringing milder conditions, cleaner air and spells of unseasonal rain. On Tuesday, that unexpected weather played a decisive role in India’s opening tie of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I, disrupting schedules and tilting conditions away from the hosts’ advantage.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India captain Vishal Uppal had anticipated the typical April heat and humidity — conditions that often trouble visiting players. But he had also warned that cooler, rain-affected weather could neutralise that edge. His concerns proved accurate.Persistent afternoon showers delayed all three ties by nearly three-and-a-half hours, with the wet hard courts at the DLTA Complex taking time to dry. Matches, slated for a 3 pm start, eventually got underway under fading light. Against Thailand, India found themselves on the back foot early. In the opening singles, Vaishnavi Adkar struggled with unforced errors, going down 1-6, 3-6 to Aunchisa Chanta in just over an hour. Despite being ranked 73 places higher, Vaishnavi was outplayed by the aggressive left-hander, who dictated rallies from the baseline.The second singles saw Sahaja Yamalapalli mount a strong comeback after dropping the first set 4-6 to Patcharin Cheapchandej. Sahaja dominated the second set 6-1 and looked to be building momentum before rain intervened once again, halting play with Patcharin leading 4-3 in the decider. Organisers later confirmed that unfinished matches would resume on Wednesday morning, with India scheduled to face New Zealand later in the day.
