South Korea’s reward for reaching the Davis Cup finals for the first time ever is a quarter-final tie against hosts and holders Italy, following the draw in Bologna on Tuesday.

The Italians have been kept on the opposite side of the draw from Spain, the team they beat in last year’s final.

South Korea reached the finals courtesy of a 3-1 win over India at the weekend when Kwon Soon-woo brushed Sumit Nagal aside 6-1, 6-2 to clinch the decisive point.

“I am very pleased to be able to create history with the fans today,” Chung said after the match. “

I am just very grateful for this opportunity. In individual matches, I believe, there is a certain happiness to winning, but given that it’s Davis Cup and it’s a team sport, it gives winning a better meaning. With Korea now as part of the biggest eight countries in tennis, there is some value to the name of the country.”

“It means a lot to qualify for the Final 8 in Bologna,” added Kwon. “I feel very prideful for my country and every team I play against, I give my best. When I play in a team, I know that I can’t let my teammates down. Given the fanbase of Davis Cup, the players have great motivation to keep the momentum on their side, the fans in Seoul brought that momentum in my favour.”

The Italians are three-time defending champions but may be without world number one Jannik Sinner who missed the recent US Open because of a knee injury.

Sinner featured in the 2024 win over the Netherlands but was absent for the victories in 2023 and 2025.

The winner of that match-up will then meet either the Czech Republic or Canada in the semi-finals.

On the other side of the draw, last year’s runners-up Spain will open with a quarter-final against Austria, before a possible semi-final against Britain or Germany.

World number three Carlos Alcaraz also did not play in last year’s finals but Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the winner of the US Open, played for Germany at the weekend and is expected to lead his country’s bid for a first Davis Cup title since 1993.

The captains will announce their teams on October 27, with the competition taking place in Bologna from November 24 to 29.