Seoul, Sept 2026 : India’s hopes of becoming the first Asian nation to reach the Davis Cup Final 8 under the competition’s revamped format came to an end on Saturday after Korea secured a 3-1 victory in the Qualifier Round 2 tie in Seoul.
India had entered the contest after defeating the Netherlands earlier this year but faced a difficult challenge after losing both opening singles rubbers. The team needed a strong response in the doubles to stay alive in the tie.
Dhakshineswar Suresh and N Sriram Balaji delivered that response, defeating the Korean pair 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought doubles encounter.
The Indian duo made a strong start and secured the opening set, but Korea fought back to level the match by taking the second set. Suresh and Balaji regained their composure in the decider and continued to put pressure on their opponents.
A crucial late break gave India the advantage, with Balaji then holding his nerve while serving for the match to complete the victory. The result reduced Korea’s lead and briefly raised hopes of an Indian comeback.
With India requiring victories in both remaining singles matches to overturn the deficit, Sumit Nagal took the court in the fourth rubber against Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon.
Kwon, however, produced a commanding performance and quickly established control. He raced through the opening set 6-1, putting Nagal under immediate pressure.
Nagal attempted to fight his way back into the contest in the second set and produced greater resistance, but Kwon continued to dictate the rallies and maintained his advantage. The Korean eventually closed out the second set 6-2, securing the victory for his team and ending India’s campaign.
The defeat extended India’s wait for a first appearance in the Davis Cup Final 8 under the current format.
Korea’s victory also represented a significant result for Asian tennis, with the team becoming the first from the continent to qualify for the knockout stage since the Davis Cup adopted its revamped structure.
India’s doubles victory had provided a brief opportunity for a comeback after the team fell behind in the opening singles. Suresh and Balaji’s ability to recover after losing the second set gave India renewed momentum, but Kwon’s decisive victory in the fourth rubber brought the tie to an end.
Following their elimination, India will return to Qualifier Round 1 in 2027 and begin the process of rebuilding for another Davis Cup campaign.
The Seoul tie could also mark the conclusion of Rohit Rajpal’s tenure as India’s captain. His current contract runs until December 2026, and no extension has been announced so far.
For India, the result brings an end to another Davis Cup campaign, while Korea moves forward to the knockout stage after a landmark victory on home soil.
