Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri to lead India against South Korea
What's the story
India's Davis Cup team will be led by Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri in a crucial second-round tie against South Korea. The match is scheduled for September 18-19 at the Olympic Tennis Centre in Seoul. The winner of this hard-court clash will secure a spot in the Davis Cup Final 8, which will take place in Bologna, Italy, this November.
Team composition
Who are the players?
Nagal, who is ranked 235th in the world, will lead India's singles charge with Dhakshineswar Suresh (No. 393) and 19-year-old Manas Dhamne (No. 362). Dhamne received his maiden Davis Cup call-up.
Bhambri, India's top-ranked doubles player at No. 28, will partner with N Sriram Balaji (No. 57 in doubles).
Past success
Suresh was instrumental in 1st-round victory over Netherlands
The current selection is similar to the one that defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in Bengaluru in the first round.
Suresh was instrumental in that win, winning all three matches.
He beat world No. 88 Jasper de Jong in the second singles rubber, teamed up with Bhambri for a doubles victory, and clinched India's place in the second round by beating Guy Den Ouden.
Squad updates
Dhamne receives maiden call-up
Dhamne's inclusion is the only major change to the core squad.
Siddharth Rawat has been named as a reserve while Arnab Paparkar has been added as an additional reserve after his recent performances.
This will be India's first appearance in the second round of Davis Cup Qualifiers since 2019, when the new format was introduced.
Past encounters
India have beaten South Korea before
India have been a runner-up three times in the competition, but those were under the old format.
Their last encounter with South Korea was in 2016 when India won 4-1 on grass in Chandigarh.
The upcoming match holds special significance as it provides a direct route to the Final 8 for India, who are hoping to build on their previous success against the Netherlands and make a mark under this new Davis Cup format.