*This content was translated by AI.
Jung Hyeon (Gimpo City Hall) secured a thrilling comeback victory for Korea after a grueling 3-hour and 6-minute contest.
On the 18th, Jung defeated India's Sumit Nagal 2-1 (2-6, 6-4, 7-5) in the second singles match on the first day of the second round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers held at the Center Court of Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Stadium.
Following Kwon Soon-woo's comeback victory against Dakshin Mehta and Sriram Balaji in the first singles, Jung's win put Korea ahead with a match score of 2-0.
Korea now needs just one more victory to reach the Davis Cup Finals for the first time in its history.
After the match, Jung expressed his thoughts through the Korea Tennis Association: "I am truly relieved that I could bring our team a precious point."
He continued, "As a team member, I feel somewhat relieved knowing I did my part. There were many frustrating moments as I couldn't play properly from the start of the match until the middle of the second set. However, it was comforting to win without giving up until the end."
The path to victory was by no means easy.
In the first set, Jung struggled against Nagal's powerful forehand and lost the opening set 2-6.
He also faced a major crisis in the second set. After reaching 3-3, he eventually allowed a break after a long deuce battle, falling behind 3-4. With already having lost one set, this was a moment where the momentum of the match could have completely shifted to the opponent.
However, Jung found his composure instead. He said, "After losing the first set and then giving up a break at 3-3 in the second set to trail 3-4, I actually felt more at ease."
There was a reason. Jung explained, "I thought the opponent would feel the pressure to finish the match. So, I approached the game with the expectation that 'an opportunity might come. If I seize it, perhaps the momentum will shift again.'"
Indeed, the opportunity arrived. Jung immediately succeeded in breaking back to level the score at 4-4. He then managed to take control of the flow and eventually won the second set 6-4, returning the match to square one.
He also made changes to his strategy.
Jung stated, "I usually prefer to extend rallies, but in the first set, I made too many unforced errors and lost easily. From the second set onward, instead of trying to end points quickly, I decided to build up rallies step by step."
The final third set was literally a battle of mental strength. Jung broke first and pulled ahead 4-1, but Nagal did not give up easily. Nagal caught up to 4-4, and both players, whose stamina was waning, continued intense rallies until the very end.
It was Jung who displayed concentration at the final moment. Even in a tight match, Jung held on until the end, pulled ahead again, and eventually won the last game, putting an end to the '3-hour and 6-minute' battle.
Regarding the situation at that time, Jung said, "There was no special strategy. We both ran for over three hours; it was a battle of mental strength."
He further emphasized, "I believed that the one who endures wins. I think I just endured."
He had confidence in his physical condition. Jung explained, "Nagal seemed to be struggling with his breathing overall from the second set and appeared to be getting heavier. Since I prepared well here since last week, my physical condition was fine until the end of the match."
He remained unfazed by Nagal's game management as well. In the third set, there were moments when Nagal seemed to take a long time before serving.
Jung remarked, "It seems Nagal intentionally waited until even the audience's breathing sounds could not be heard. However, I did not protest on purpose. If I protested, it might have created the situation that player wanted. So, I just ignored it and continued playing."
The presence of Kwon Soon-woo, who had won the first singles match earlier, also relieved Jung's burden.
Jung expressed his gratitude: "Since last year, Kwon has never lost in the Davis Cup. In the past, I would play first in the singles and lose, then Kwon would win in the second singles. This time, however, Kwon secured the first victory first, which allowed me to play more comfortably."
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*This content was translated by AI.
