New Zealand Draws South Korea In 2016 Davis Cup

New Zealand has today been drawn to play South Korea in an away contest in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I in 2016 during a ceremony at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) AGM in Santiago, Chile .

The tie will be held March 4-6 next year at a venue in Korea which will be decided at a later date.

New Zealand has a 7-2 head-to-head record against South Korea, although the last time they clashed it was Korea who were the winners 3-2 in Auckland in 2005, however they did have the top 100 ranked Hyung-Taik Lee in their team at that time.

South Korea once again have the potential to use a player ranked in the top 100, teenager Hyeon Chung who is 19-years-old and ranked at 73 in the world. Their next best player is Duckhee Lee at 248th.

Chung was recently one of the world’s best juniors and has won three Challenger titles this year and most recently reached the second round of the US Open where he lost in three tiebreaks to fourth seed Stan Wawrinka.

In doubles South Korea have a highest ranked player of Ji Sung Nam at 307th. .

If New Zealand beats South Korea they will have to play India away. If they lose against South Korea, they'll play the loser of the tie between Pakistan and China.

New Zealand Davis Cup captain, Alistair Hunt believes the tie will be tough, but that the Kiwi team has the capability to win.

“Any time we play away it is just that bit tougher and Korea have a top young guy in Chung, however all of our players are competing well at ATP or Challenger level and we’ve got plenty of time to work on things between the tie. It’s such a tight group with so few countries in it, but the boys know and believe they can do well,” said Hunt who was a player in the team when New Zealand last beat Korea away in 2001. The team of Hunt, James Greenhalgh, Mark Nielsen, Lee Radovanovich and team captain Glenn Wilson won 3-2 in Seoul.

New Zealand currently has Artem Sitak and Michael Venus ranked inside the world’s top 50 doubles players while Marcus Daniell is 69 in doubles and Rubin Statham is back on court after an illness and this week beat a player ranked 139th in the world in the first round of a Challenger. Finn Tearney has also improved his ranking dramatically after beating two top 200 ranked players this year.

Asia/Oceania Group I has just six nations in it with New Zealand and Korea alongside the likes of India, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and China.