When India nearly barred Israel from a Davis Cup tie in Delhi

In March 1987, New Delhi hosted one of the most thrilling Davis Cup ties of all time. The odds were against India. It was down two matches to one against the visiting Argentines, and its ageing superstar Vijay Amritraj was facing match point in the fourth set of the fourth match against Martin Jaite, who had defeated German sensation Boris Becker a year earlier.

Somehow, Amritraj, 33, mustered enough calm and strength to overcome his highly favoured 23-year-old opponent to win the fourth set 8-6 and then the fifth set and match. After that, Ramesh Krishnan took care of business, clinching India one of its most famous tennis victories and sending it into the quarterfinals. But where there should have been unqualified joy, there was some anxiety.

India’s next adversary was Israel.

At the time, India was one of the staunchest supporters of the Palestinian cause and many Indians opposed letting Israelis take part in the Davis Cup in India. The government too was unsure. Apart from its principled political stand on the Palestinian cause and its ties with the Arab world, the administration was worried about maintaining law and order in Delhi.

In the past, India had taken a principled stand even when it came at a...

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