Seoul [South Korea], September 19 (ANI): The Indian tennis team is knocked out of the Davis Cup 2026 after suffering a 3-1 defeat to the Republic of Korea in their second-round qualifiers tie in Seoul on Saturday, with Sumit Nagal’s singles loss handing the hosts an unassailable lead and a place in the Final 8.
India, who began the day trailing 2-0 after losing both opening singles rubbers on Friday, briefly revived their hopes through N Sriram Balaji and Dhakshineswar Suresh, who won the doubles match to reduce the deficit, according to Olympics.com.
However, world No. 157 Kwon Soon-woo defeated India’s top-ranked singles player Nagal 6-1, 6-2 to seal the tie for South Korea, who will compete in the Final 8 in Bologna, Italy, in November.
The defeat means India will have to compete in the first round of the 2027 Davis Cup Qualifiers.
World No. 49 doubles pair Balaji and Suresh kept India in contention with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over South Korea’s Nam Ji-sung and Park Ui-sung.
The Indian duo made an early breakthrough in the opening set, breaking their opponents in the fourth game. Although they surrendered their serve in the next game, Balaji and Suresh responded with another break in the sixth before holding serve to take the set.
Nam and Park fought back in the second set, breaking the Indians in the sixth game and holding their serve to force a decider.
The third set remained on serve until the eighth game, when Balaji and Suresh secured a crucial break. They then held a serve to close out the contest and keep India’s hopes alive.
But Nagal could not extend the tie as Kwon produced a dominant display in the fourth rubber.
Ranked No. 247 in the world, Nagal held serve in the opening game but was broken in each of the next three games as Kwon took control of the first set.
The second set was more closely contested, but Kwon broke Nagal in the sixth and eighth games to complete the win and confirm South Korea’s progression.
India had entered Saturday needing to win all three remaining rubbers after Dhakshineswar Suresh and Nagal lost their opening singles matches on Friday.
India have finished as Davis Cup runners-up on three occasions — in 1966, 1974 and 1987 — but are yet to reach the Final 8 under the current format. (ANI)
India knocked out of Davis Cup after 1-3 loss to South Korea
