Somdev Devvarman on India’s Davis Cup Korea test: “It’s going to be a very tough task”

India chases a first World Group quarterfinal since 1996 as it faces South Korea in Seoul. Somdev Devvarman on the 2014 blueprint, DK Suresh’s role and Yuki Bhambri’s injury blow.

Updated : Sep 17, 2026 10:27 IST , Chennai - 4 MINS READ

India team celebrates after winning the Davis Cup Qualifier round one tie against Netherlands, at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium, in Bengaluru in February this year. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

The last time India was one of the last eight teams in the Davis Cup was in April 1996, and it wasn’t a memorable outing.

Playing at the Calcutta South Club, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, nicknamed “Indian Express”, were involved in all of the rubbers as the host succumbed to a 0-5 drubbing at the hands of Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Thirty years on, India has the chance to return to that stage and rub shoulders with the crème-de-la-crème of tennis. But before that, it will need to beat South Korea in the second round of the Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

This is the first time that India has reached this stage of the competition since the tournament’s format underwent changes in 2019. It beat the Netherlands 3-2 in the first round back in February, with Dhakshineswar Suresh the player of the tie in Bengaluru.

Now, India is in Korea and set to face the host on September 18 and 19 at the Olympic Tennis Court, Seoul, on outdoor hard courts. The last time India beat the Koreans on their soil was in 2014, and Somdev Devvarman was part of the team.

“The tricky part is going to be in beating them in Korea because if I remember correctly, 2014 was the first and only time India beat Korea in Korea. I happened to be part of that team and I’ll tell you, it’s not easy. It’s just playing players in their home countries where they’re very comfortable. Korea is going to be a very tough task for India and hopefully we’re up to the challenge,” Devvarman had told Sportstar back in April on the sidelines of a Chennai-based event.

“They (Koreans) are world-class players, but a lot of them are unhealthy right now. Again, a lot of time to recover, recoup. Hyeon Chung is making a little bit of a comeback. We’ll have to see what kind of form he brings in, how he sustains himself through September,” the double Asian Games gold medallist said.

Chung, who is part of the Korean team set to face the visiting Indians, had faced Devvarman 12 years ago in that tie in Busan. The Indian had come away with a 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-4 win. None of the 2014 team will feature this time, but Devvarman named the players who could be crucial for India’s advance.

“We’re gonna look at DK (Dhakshineswar). DK has done incredibly well the last couple of times. He will be professional by September as well, so he’ll spend some time on the tour. And he’s been a very important part for us. If you look at the number of wins he’s got and number of matches he’s played, he hasn’t lost one. So DK will be a big part for us. So will Summit with his experience and we know the level he can play on. These two will be the key singles guys,” Devvarman said.

“And with doubles, obviously Yuki [Bhambri] will be leading the charge. There’s N. Sriram Balaji and others, but it’s the captain’s decision to see who kind of gels the best. Again, between now and September, there’s a lot of things that can happen like injuries.”

Injury has rattled the Indian team days before the tie, with Bhambri ruled out with a thigh niggle. He had paired up with Dhakshineswar extremely well against the Dutch in the previous round, but captain Rohit Rajpal will not have that card to play this time. Niki Poonacha has been added to the Indian squad, the All India Tennis Association said.

“Completely depends on how Day 1 goes for us,” was the short answer Devvarman gave this publication on Wednesday when asked how India’s doubles would look after Bhambri’s injury.

For now, ahead of the first day of action on Friday, when the two singles rubbers will be played, the Indian team will hope to invoke the spirit of that 2014 win to reach the Davis Cup Finals once again.