Jung Hyeon's three-hour battle + Kwon Soon-woo's comeback victory! Both turned the tables... Korea leads 2-0, just one win away from first-ever Davis Cup quarterfinals

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korean tennis secured both singles matches on the opening day, leaving just one win to reach the Davis Cup Finals for the first time in history.

On the 18th, at Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center Court, Korea faced India in the second round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers. Kwon Soon-woo and Jung Hyeon both secured comeback victories, putting Korea ahead with a match score of 2-0.

Kwon Soon-woo, who started the first singles match, lost the first set 3-6 against Daxinewas and Sureesh but then won the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4 to complete a 2-1 comeback victory.

With Kwon Soon-woo taking early control, Jung Hyeon also completed a dramatic comeback in the second singles match.

Jung Hyeon defeated Sumit Nagal after an intense three-hour-and-six-minute battle, winning 2-6, 6-4, and 7-5.

Ranked 549th in the world, Jung Hyeon engaged in a grueling match against Nagal, who was ranked more than 300 spots higher at 247th.

The start was not favorable. Jung Hyeon lost both of his first two service games and quickly fell behind 0-4. He struggled against Nagal's powerful forehand and fought back to 2-4 but then allowed another break, losing the first set 2-6.

However, from the second set onward, Jung Hyeon's performance came alive. His trademark powerful backhand began to show its strength. Changing tactics to aggressively approach the net also proved effective.

He overcame a major crisis as well. At 3-3, after a long deuce game, Jung Hyeon lost his service game and fell behind 3-4. It was a moment when the momentum of the match could have completely shifted to Nagal.

But he immediately counterattacked. He successfully broke back in the next game to tie the score at 4-4. In his following service game, he won without losing a single point and ultimately took the second set 6-4, leveling the match score at 1-1.

The final third set was a battle of determination. Jung Hyeon broke first to lead 4-1, but Nagal did not give up easily. Nagal tied the score at 4-4, and both players, whose stamina was waning, continued intense rallies until the end.

The player who maintained focus in the final moments was Jung Hyeon. Pushing forward again, he eventually won the last game, putting an end to the long match.

Once the victory was secured, not only Jung Hyeon but also South Korea's national team players and fans filling the stadium roared together.

With this, South Korea achieved its Day 1 goal of winning both singles matches. The process was also dramatic. Both Kwon Soon-woo and Jung Hyeon lost their first sets but then won the next two consecutive sets to secure comeback victories.

The Day 1 schedule, which began at 2 p.m., concluded just before 8 p.m. after both matches extended into three-set battles.

Furthermore, South Korea secured an absolutely advantageous position with a match score of 2-0 against India.

Now, only one win is needed to reach the Davis Cup Finals for the first time in history.

On the 19th, the first scheduled event will be the doubles match. South Korea's Nam Ji-seong and Park Ui-sung pair will face India's Niki Poonacha and Sriram Balaji pair.

If South Korea wins the doubles match, they will create a 3-0 match score and secure qualification for the Davis Cup Finals, where eight world teams compete, regardless of the outcome of the remaining singles matches.

Even if the doubles match is not decided, South Korea still has two more singles matches ahead.

With Kwon Soon-woo and Jung Hyeon securing comeback victories on Day 1, a new chapter in South Korean tennis history remains just one step away.

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*This content was translated by AI.