Qualifier round

Davis Cup Final: India’s hopes of becoming the first Asian nation to reach the Davis Cup Final 8 under the competition’s revamped format were dashed on Saturday as Korea secured a 3-1 victory in the Qualifier Round 2 tie in Seoul.

India entered the tie with an opportunity to create history after defeating the Netherlands earlier this year, but found themselves in a difficult position after losing both opening singles. The visitors briefly kept the contest alive through a determined doubles performance before Korea closed out the tie in the fourth rubber.

Dhakshineswar Suresh and N Sriram Balaji gave India a lifeline with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over the Korean pair. The Indian duo responded strongly after dropping the second set, holding their nerve in a tense decider and securing the break that put them in position to serve for the match.