Trump Praises Indian Tennis Player Dhakshineswar Suresh at White House Event
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump praised Indian tennis player Dhakshineswar “DK” Suresh during the National Champions Day event at the White House, recognizing his role in Wake Forest University’s NCAA championship-winning season.
The annual event honors top NCAA teams and student-athletes for their national achievements. Suresh attended as part of the Wake Forest men’s tennis team, which won the 2025 NCAA Division I title after defeating Texas Christian University 4-2 in the final, securing the program’s second national championship.
While addressing the athletes, Trump singled out Suresh for his performance.
“Also in the winner’s circle, we have the 2025 NCAA men’s tennis champions, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. They battled through a fierce postseason to claim their second national title. DK Suresh delivered the clinching point to UCLA’s 4-2 victory over TCU in the final. And I want to congratulate you,” Trump said.
“I said, ‘Who is the best player in the team?’ and they all pointed to you. Congratulations, and that’s really incredible, DK, what you have done. You had a great year. Thank you very much.”
Suresh, 26, is from Madurai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is considered one of India’s emerging tennis talents. Earlier this year, he played a key role in India’s 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Qualifiers, winning both his singles matches and contributing in doubles.
His development has been shaped by the U.S. college tennis system. Suresh began his collegiate career at Georgia Gwinnett College before transferring to Wake Forest, where he became a consistent performer and earned All-American honors.
He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 462 in April 2026 and a doubles ranking of No. 352 in August 2025. He made his ATP main draw debut at the Winston-Salem Open in 2024. (Source: IANS)
