Davis Cup: India and South Korea set for an even contest on the hard courts of Seoul
India will face South Korea on the hard courts of Seoul starting Friday in round two of the Davis Cup Qualifiers, with a place in the eight-nation Finals at stake.
India is among the 15 teams still remaining in this year’s Davis Cup, a position the country last reached in 2011 as part of the 16-team World Group under the former Cup format. At stake in Seoul is qualification to the Finals, described in the source as the ultra-elite grouping of eight nations that includes defending champion Italy, and the Indian team will strive to make it into that group.
“It’s a mix of pressure and motivation,” India No. 1 Sumit Nagal told The Hindu from Seoul. “There is always pressure when you play for the country. There is motivation as well because we have never been in this situation. We are going to put our hearts into it.”
India’s run to this stage has been driven by wins over higher-ranked European opponents, notably a 3-1 victory over Switzerland in September 2025 and a 3-2 result against the Netherlands earlier in 2026; the article notes that Switzerland and Netherlands did not field all of their best players. South Korea is ranked 16 to India’s 19, a gap of three places, and among the countries still in the tournament the piece lists Spain, France, the United States and Germany as heavyweights while placing South Korea, India and Ecuador (23) at the lower end.
South Korea’s leading players include Soonwoo Kwon, described as a multiple-time Tour titlist who was ranked World No. 52 in 2021, is 28 years old, has returned after 18 months of compulsory military service and is back up to No. 157. Hyeon Chung, 30, is characterised in the article as having had an injury-ravaged career, having been in the top-20 in 2018 and recorded a win over Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open that year. Kwon and Chung combined for South Korea’s 3-2 triumph over Argentina in February 2026.
“They are good, and they have played the ATP-level for many years,” Nagal said of the Korean pairing. “Kwon is a good baseliner and Chung has a lot of experience. It’s going to be tough.”
India’s potential advantage may lie with Dhakshineswar Suresh, described as a 26-year-old who is not yet a regular on the Tour but holds a 4-0 Davis Cup record and won both his singles and doubles rubbers against the Netherlands. “The courts are pretty slow but I still have to use my weapons and stay more patient than rushing through the points,” Dhakshineswar said. “But you have to adapt, like playing on the Tour, because conditions will be different every week.”
The winning nation in Seoul will secure a place in the Davis Cup Finals, the eight-team stage that includes defending champion Italy.
