India’s Davis Cup 2026 squad to face South Korea in Seoul; First second-round appearance since 2019 format
India’s Davis Cup 2026 squad: Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri to lead Indian tennis team against South Korea
India’s Davis Cup 2026 squad: Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri to lead team against South Korea
Manas Dhamne earns his first call-up as India retain the core that beat the Netherlands in the previous round.
Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri , the country’s top-ranked players in singles and doubles, respectively, were on Monday named in the Indian tennis team for next month’s Davis Cup 2026 qualifiers second round tie against the Republic of Korea.
The tie will be played on the hard courts of the Olympic Tennis Centre in Seoul on September 18 and 19, with the winner advancing to the Final 8 stage of the tournament scheduled in Bologna, Italy, in November.
Ranked No. 235, Sumit Nagal will lead India’s singles challenge alongside Dhakshineswar Suresh and Manas Dhamne.
Suresh is ranked 393rd, while Dhamne, India’s No. 2, is 362nd and has earned his first call-up to the Davis Cup tennis squad.
Bhambri, ranked No. 28 in doubles, is expected to form the pair combination with N Sriram Balaji, who is ranked No. 57.
The squad retains the core that helped India beat the Netherlands 3-2 in Bengaluru in the opening round of the 2026 Davis Cup qualifiers.
Suresh was central to that victory, contributing to all three of India’s wins. He beat world No. 88 Jasper de Jong in the second singles rubber on the opening day before partnering Bhambri to victory in the doubles on the second day.
Suresh then beat Guy Den Ouden in the decisive fifth rubber to seal India’s progress to the second round.
Siddharth Rawat has been named as the reserve player, while Arnab Paparkar has been included as an additional reserve following his recent performances.
The tie in Seoul will mark India’s first appearance in the second round of the Davis Cup Qualifiers since the current format was introduced in 2019. India will be bidding to reach the Final 8 for the first time under the current format.
South Korea reached the 16-team Davis Cup Finals in 2022 and 2023.
India, meanwhile, have finished as Davis Cup runners-up three times, in 1966, 1974 and 1987 under previous formats.
India last faced South Korea in 2016, when they secured a 4-1 victory in Chandigarh in an Asia
Oceania Group I tie played on grass.
India’s Davis Cup 2026 team vs South Korea
Sumit Nagal, Manas Dhamne, Dhakshineswar Suresh, Yuki Bhambri, N Sriram Balaji. Reserve : Siddharth Rawat; Additional reserve : Arnab Paparkar.
Picture by 2026 Getty Images
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