The major talking point in the lead-up to India’s South Korea visit was the slow, low court prepared to counter Dhakshineswar Suresh and Sumit Nagal in the Davis Cup Qualifiers in Seoul. However, both players adjusted quickly to the conditions on D-Day. They just couldn’t outlast their opponents.

Dhakshineswar and Nagal both squandered one-set advantages to leave India a mountain to climb. The Koreans need just one more win from the three rubbers on Day 2 to enter the Final 8 of the prestigious team competition.

Soonwoo Kwon and Hyeon Chung were dull off the blocks but sped into gear as their matches wore on. They showed their class towards the end, sucker-punching the Indians with tactical brilliance.

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In the opener, Kwon took longer than Dhakshineswar to find his serving and striking rhythm on the sluggish court. By the time he did, ‘DK’ had run away with the first set.

The tall 26-year-old broke Kwon’s serve straight away. His own big service kept him going despite the nature of the hard court. Dhakshineswar sealed the set with an ace wide out on the Kwon forehand.

Change in tack

Kwon then went wider with his serves and groundstrokes. He started stroking the ball better, forcing errors and loose returns off the DK backhand. The Indian’s first serve percentage also slipped to 48 in the second set from 57 in the first. The physical toll of the slow conditions was becoming apparent.

Conversely, Kwon’s returns got deeper, pushing the attack-happy DK back. The 157-ranked Korean’s service firmed up — he won all 14 points on his first service in the second set. Compelled to go for aces, Dhakshineswar netted four double faults in the set. He had none in the first.

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DK saved two break points in Game 4 of Set 2 with an ace and some gutsy volleying off his second serve. He staved off another in Game 6 with a delightful backhand passing shot. But the Korean was third-time lucky when he launched a powerful backhand down the line to draw level. This shot was to dictate terms in the third set as well.

After four hard-fought games in the decider, Kwon dealt the first blow. DK thwarted two break points before slugging a forehand long. He saved the first match point with a searing ace out wide, but could not keep out the second one on Kwon’s robust serve. The scoreline read 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 in the Korean’s favour. DK’s four-match unbeaten streak in the Davis Cup stood broken.

Nagal starts strong

If DK’s start was good, Nagal’s was better. But the fact that he let the match get away despite being 6-2, 4-3 up – with a break – would rankle him.

Chung started the match with a double fault. Nagal sensed the early vulnerability and broke through with a trademark inside-out forehand. The groundstroke became the fulcrum around which the Indian cracked Chung’s service open.


The former world No.19 retaliated with some gritty returning and Nagal double-faulted to be broken. The man from Jhajjar, Haryana broke right back and despite double faulting twice in his subsequent service game, took the set at the fourth time of asking.

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Like Kwon, Chung found his range in the second set and the match became a duel of baseline shotmaking. Nagal held his own, fighting back from 0-40 down on serve in the fourth game. His perseverance paid off in a marathon Game 7. Chung had seven game points and Nagal averted each one before pouncing on his first break point opportunity.

But Chung was not done yet. He turned back the clock to rediscover the flair with which he had once beaten Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. The Korean broke back and put up an array of sublime backhands to bamboozle Nagal. The Indian, two games away from victory, lost the second set 4-6.

The drama heightened in the third set. Chung broke early to put Nagal under immense pressure. The 29-year-old Indian responded with a break of his own, followed by a really tense hold.

However, Nagal’s legs and lungs were running out even as his mind was willing. He was valiant till the very end, even as Chung rode the vociferous crowd support to outlast the Indian 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

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“I had chances in the second set. I didn’t close it down. I went for it, missed it, and from there the match pretty much changed,” Nagal later said. “In the end, I guess he was better than me. That’s it.”

On Saturday, the onus will be on the experienced N Sriram Balaji and late entrant Niki Poonacha to keep India’s hopes alive against Uisung Park and Jisung Nam. Adapting to the slow surface would not be enough. They’ll have to last longer than their opponents.

TV Times: South Korea vs India, Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 2: Live on Veto app, 8:30am onwards