NEW DELHI: India have added 19-year-old Manas Dhamne to their Davis Cup squad for the first time as they prepare to face South Korea in Seoul on September 18-19.The Qualifiers Round 2 tie is a major one, with the winner earning a place in the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna in November.World No. 362 Dhamne joins Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh in the singles group, while Yuki Bhambri and N Sriram Balaji continue as the doubles pair. Arnav Paparkar and Sidharth Rawat have been named reserves.Dhamne’s inclusion is the only major change after India’s memorable 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in Bengaluru in February. That win took India into the second qualifying round for the first time since the Davis Cup format changed in 2019.
India’s full Davis Cup squad vs South Korea:
- Singles: Sumit Nagal, Dhakshineswar Suresh, Manas Dhamne
Doubles: Yuki Bhambri, N Sriram Balaji
Reserves: Arnav Paparkar, Sidharth Rawat
Dhakshineswar Suresh has earned his place after an outstanding performance against the Netherlands. The 26-year-old won both his singles matches and also teamed up with Bhambri to win the doubles rubber.He sealed the tie by beating world No. 162 Guy Den Ouden 6-4, 7-6(4), after earlier defeating world No. 88 Jesper de Jong. South Korea also won a thrilling 3-2 tie against Argentina. India will need another strong performance in Seoul to reach the Final 8 and make their first appearance at the elite stage under the current format.
