Davis Cup: Nagal falters as Korea end India’s historic Final 8 hopes with 3-1 win
India lost the Davis Cup Qualifier tie against Korea 3-1 after Sumit Nagal was defeated in the reverse singles match. This result prevents India from reaching the Davis Cup Final 8 and forces them back to the Qualifier Round 1 for 2027.
Why it matters
The loss marks a significant setback for Indian tennis, ending their hopes of a historic breakthrough in the revamped Davis Cup format.
India missed a historic opportunity to become the first Asian nation to reach the Davis Cup Final 8 under the new format as a listless Sumit Nagal succumbed to Soon Woo Kwon in the reverse singles, handing Korea a 3-1 victory in the Qualifier Round 2 tie on Saturday (September 19, 2026).
After Dhakshineswar Suresh and N. Sriram Balaji had revived India's hopes with a fighting doubles victory to cut the deficit to 1-2, Nagal needed to produce his best in the must-win rubber but instead endured a forgettable outing in the difficult heat, losing 1-6 2-6 to Korea number one Soon Woo Kwon.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in