Seoul: India’s Davis Cup campaign came to an end after South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo defeated Sumit Nagal in the fourth match of the tie in Seoul on Saturday. With India trailing 1-2, Nagal needed to win the must-win singles clash to keep the team’s campaign alive. However, the India No. 1 suffered a 6-1, 6-3 defeat, handing South Korea a 3-1 overall victory.
India had received a boost earlier in the day when N Sriram Balaji and Dhakshineshwar Suresh secured an impressive win in the doubles match, bringing India back into contention after a difficult opening day.
Kwon Dominates Nagal In Opening Set
Kwon Soon-woo started strongly from the opening serve and took advantage of Nagal’s early unforced errors. The South Korean dominated the rallies from the baseline and quickly established control of the match.
Kwon wrapped up the opening set 6-1, leaving Nagal struggling to find his rhythm at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre.
Nagal Fights Back But Kwon Holds Firm
Nagal showed greater resistance in the second set and managed to stay level with Kwon at 3-3. However, Kwon continued to apply pressure with his consistent baseline play.
The South Korean broke Nagal’s serve in the seventh game to move 4-3 ahead and then held his serve to extend the lead to 5-3.
Nagal fought hard in the final game and saved two match points, taking the game through two tense deuces. However, Kwon remained composed and converted his third match point to close out the set 6-3 and secure the victory.
South Korea Wins Tie 3-1, Ends India’s Campaign
India’s difficult opening day had left the team facing a 0-2 deficit. Both Dhakshineshwar Suresh and Nagal had lost their respective singles matches, giving South Korea a strong advantage.
The doubles victory by Balaji and Dhakshineshwar Suresh on Saturday morning gave India a chance to make a comeback. However, Nagal could not continue that momentum against Kwon.
Kwon’s victory gave South Korea a 3-1 overall win and ended India’s campaign in the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre in Seoul.