Canada will open 2025 Davis Cup play against Hungary in 1st-round qualifier
Canada’s journey in the 2025 Davis Cup will kick off with a first-round qualifier tie against Hungary, as announced by the International Tennis Federation. Having secured a spot in the Davis Cup Final 8 last month, Canada will have the privilege of hosting the tie at a venue that is yet to be determined.
Tennis Canada stated that details regarding team rosters, the playing surface, and the exact dates of the tie will be disclosed at a later time. The tie is scheduled to take place either on Jan. 31-Feb. 1 or Feb. 1-2, with two singles matches scheduled for the first day, followed by a doubles match and two singles matches on the second day.
This will mark the first-ever encounter between Canada and Hungary in the prestigious men’s team tennis tournament. Canada, currently ranked third in the Davis Cup standings, suffered a defeat against Germany in the quarterfinals last month in Malaga, Spain.
In the quarterfinal match, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo and Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ont., both faced defeats in their respective singles matches. Unfortunately, Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, the highest-ranked singles player for Canada at No. 29, was unavailable to compete.
On the other hand, Hungary, ranked at No. 22, earned their spot in the first-round qualifier tie by defeating Egypt in World Group 1 play. Notably, the tournament organizers have decided to eliminate the group stage from the competition starting next year.
The winners of the first-round qualifiers will progress to the 14-team second-round qualifier scheduled for September. The seven victorious nations from the second round will join defending champion Italy in the 2025 Final 8 set to take place in November in Bologna.
Moreover, as the runner-up in the 2024 Final 8, the Netherlands has received a wild-card entry to the second-round qualifier and will face either Norway or Argentina in September. The draw for the 2025 qualifiers was conducted at the ITF offices on Monday.
Teams that fail to secure a victory in the first-round qualifiers will have the opportunity to compete in World Group 1 play in September to stay in contention for the following year’s Davis Cup Final 8. Italy successfully defended their Davis Cup title in the previous year, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.
The upcoming Davis Cup matches promise to be filled with excitement and fierce competition as nations battle it out for supremacy in the world of men’s team tennis. Stay tuned for more updates on the 2025 Davis Cup journey as the action unfolds on the court.
