"When I wanted to give up, I thought of the Taegeuk mark and Korean fans." Kwon Soon-woo reveals the secret to his Davis Cup five-game winning streak... "Thanks to them, I get up again and push forward"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Even in moments when I want to give up, thinking of the Taegeuk mark and my fans makes me get up again and push forward."

Kwon Soon-woo (Chungnam Sports Council), the ace of Korean tennis, has revealed the secret behind his particularly strong performance at the Davis Cup.

On the 19th, Kwon defeated India's Sumit Nagal 2-0 (6-1, 6-2) in the third rubber of the second round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers held at the center court of Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center.

The match lasted only 68 minutes. With Kwon's victory, South Korea defeated India with a match score of 3-1, securing their first-ever qualification for the Davis Cup Finals 8.

In this matchup against India, Kwon fulfilled his role as ace perfectly. The day before, he came back from losing the first set to defeat Daxin and Surendra, and the next day, he completely defeated India's ace Nagal. He is currently on a five-game winning streak at the Davis Cup.

After the match, Kwon expressed his satisfaction through the Korea Tennis Association: "I feel great. It is good in itself that we made it to the Davis Cup Finals, where only eight countries from around the world gather." He added, "This result was created by all of our team working together."

Ahead of this Davis Cup, Kwon revealed that he underwent extensive training and also focused on his mental state.

He said, "Although I won yesterday's match, I felt it was a pity because I couldn't show the play I wanted to show," and added, "For this match, I prepared even more mentally."

In the matchup against Nagal, he considered 'calmness' most important. Kwon explained, "When you face players with good defense, there are always tough moments. That's why today I tried to stay very calm."

He continued, "The first set went better than expected, and in the second set, I tried to maintain the momentum from the first set."

Kwon, who played a key role in South Korea's historic first qualification for the Finals 8, expressed his gratitude to home fans before acknowledging his own performance.

He said, "Playing in Korea, I was able to gain strength thanks to the support of home fans," and added, "I am wearing the Taegeuk mark, and I am not playing this match alone. I think there are teammates and fans who are playing along with me."

He further emphasized, "That is why even in moments when I want to give up, those thoughts make me get up again and push forward."

Kwon also did not hide his anticipation for the Finals 8 stage.

He stated, "No matter which team we face, I think the result is unknown. It will be fun no matter who we play against," and added, "Whatever team it is, players ranked within the top 100 in the world will appear. There is no specific team I particularly want to face."

South Korea's qualification for the Davis Cup Finals 8 is a first in history. While there have been occasions when they played on the World Group main stage, which corresponds to the current Finals format, it was during the round of 16 era at that time. This marks the first time South Korea has reached the men's world tennis quarterfinals in its Davis Cup participation history.

The road to Bologna was by no means easy.

Last September, South Korea defeated Kazakhstan, held together by Alexander Bublik, in World Group I.

Then, in the first round of the Qualifiers held this February, they beat the South American powerhouse Argentina 3-2, securing their spot in the second round.

By overcoming India as well, South Korea has completed a new history by reaching the world quarterfinals.

The Davis Cup Finals 8 will be held from November 24 to 27 in Bologna, Italy. Eight countries from around the world will compete for the championship in a tournament format.

Prior to that, the South Korean tennis national team, including Kwon Soon-woo, will challenge for the gold medal at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games.

The Asian Games hold special significance for Kwon Soon-woo. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he experienced not only match results but also unexpected controversy. After losing then, he was heavily criticized for failing to control his emotions and repeatedly slamming his racket onto the court.

Kwon later issued a handwritten apology letter and personally visited the opposing player, bowing his head to clear up misunderstandings.

Kwon smiled and said, "My goal this time is not to make the same mistake as last time."

He further emphasized, "I think I have matured significantly after serving in the military," and added, "This time, I am trying not to make the same mistake as last time."

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*This content was translated by AI.