Indian Tennis Team Exits Davis Cup 2026 After Loss to South Korea

Seoul, South Korea - On September 19, the Indian tennis team faced elimination from the Davis Cup 2026, suffering a 3-1 defeat against the Republic of Korea during their second-round qualifiers in Seoul. Sumit Nagal's singles match loss ultimately secured an unassailable lead for the hosts, allowing them to advance to the Final 8.

Starting the day at a disadvantage, India trailed 2-0 after losing both singles matches on Friday. However, N Sriram Balaji and Dhakshineswar Suresh managed to revive some hope by winning the doubles match, narrowing the gap.

Despite their efforts, world No. 157 Kwon Soon-woo defeated India's top player Nagal with a score of 6-1, 6-2, confirming South Korea's place in the Final 8, which will take place in Bologna, Italy, this November.

This defeat means India will now have to participate in the first round of the 2027 Davis Cup Qualifiers.

Balaji and Suresh, ranked No. 49 in doubles, kept India's hopes alive with a hard-fought victory of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 against South Korea's Nam Ji-sung and Park Ui-sung.

The Indian pair made an early impact by breaking their opponents in the fourth game of the first set. Although they lost their serve shortly after, they regained momentum with another break in the sixth game, ultimately taking the set.

In the second set, Nam and Park fought back, breaking the Indian duo in the sixth game and holding their serve to push the match to a deciding set.

The final set remained competitive until Balaji and Suresh secured a crucial break in the eighth game, allowing them to hold serve and win the match.

Unfortunately, Nagal could not extend the tie, as Kwon showcased a dominant performance in the fourth rubber.

Ranked No. 247 globally, Nagal initially held serve but was broken in three consecutive games, allowing Kwon to take control of the first set.

The second set was more competitive, but Kwon broke Nagal in the sixth and eighth games, sealing the victory and confirming South Korea's advancement.

India entered the day needing to win all three remaining matches after Suresh and Nagal lost their opening singles on Friday. Historically, India has been a runner-up in the Davis Cup three times—in 1966, 1974, and 1987—but has yet to reach the Final 8 under the current format.