"Shut up" - Rohit Rajpal fires back at critics after Davis Cup loss

Indian Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal has found himself in the spotlight following India's crushing 0-4 defeat to Sweden in the Davis Cup World Group 1 tie in Stockholm.

The loss not only marked a disappointing end for the Indian team in this round but also led to their demotion to the World Group 1 playoff round, scheduled for next year. In the wake of the defeat, several players and critics raised concerns regarding the team’s composition and Rajpal's leadership abilities.

When questioned by the media about the reactions from players regarding his leadership, Rohit was quoted as saying by The Bridge:

“Since the time I took over, these boys have always tried to say something negative to provoke and get a reaction out of me. If the players feel otherwise, I am a very open person, they are welcome to say what they feel. But I am here for my country, to do whatever it takes.”

After the tie against Sweden, critics questioned Rohit Rajpal's approach, suggesting that a different captain might have yielded a more favorable result. These criticisms, however, didn’t sit well with Rajpal.

Defending his decisions and dismissing the negative comments, he sent out a blunt message to his detractors:

“To all these people, I want to say one thing to them, shut up. If you really care that much, don't sit in your air-conditioned rooms and talk, get out here and show what you can do.”

Rohit Rajpal, who has always emphasized his dedication to Indian tennis, reflected on the personal sacrifices he has made for the team. He revealed that during the February Davis Cup tie against Pakistan, he was on the court while his mother was in the ICU.

Sharing this emotional aspect, he added:

“During the Pakistan tie, my mother was in the ICU, and I was still on the (tennis) court. I am here to do my national duties.”

---

Rohit Rajpal-led India go down 0-4 to Sweden

India, with Rohit Rajpal at the helm, suffered a 0-4 loss to Sweden in the Davis Cup World Group 1 tie. They lost the first two singles matches on the opening day and were behind 0-2.

However, Day 2 was no different as India failed to stage a comeback. Sriram Balaji and Ramkumar Ramanathan went down against the Swedish pair of Andre Goransson and Filip Bergevi. Making his debut, Siddharth Vishwakarma also lost to Elias Ymer as Sweden won the tie 4-0.

The fifth match was cancelled with a mutual decision from both teams as Sweden had already sealed the tie 4-0.