Newcomers South Korea face holders Italy in Davis Cup finals / Photo: © AFP/File
Newcomers South Korea face holders Italy in Davis Cup finals
South Korea's reward for reaching the Davis Cup finals for the first time ever is a quarter-final tie against hosts and holders Italy, following the draw in Bologna on Tuesday.
The Italians have been kept on the opposite side of the draw from Spain, the team they beat in last year's final.
South Korea reached the finals courtesy of a 3-1 win over India at the weekend when Kwon Soon-woo brushed Sumit Nagal aside 6-1, 6-2 to clinch the decisive point.
The Italians are three-time defending champions but may be without world number one Jannik Sinner who missed the recent US Open because of a knee injury.
Sinner featured in the 2024 win over the Netherlands but was absent for the victories in 2023 and 2025.
The winner of that match-up will then meet either the Czech Republic or Canada in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the draw, last year's runners-up Spain will open with a quarter-final against Austria, before a possible semi-final against Britain or Germany.
World number three Carlos Alcaraz also did not play in last year's finals but Germany's Alexander Zverev, the winner of the US Open, played for Germany at the weekend and is expected to lead his country's bid for a first Davis Cup title since 1993.
The captains will announce their teams on October 27, with the competition taking place in Bologna from November 24 to 29.
K.al-Isa--BT
