By Canadian Press

Canada will open 2025 Davis Cup play against Hungary in first-round qualifier

Dec 2, 2024 | 10:10 AM

LONDON — Canada will open 2025 Davis Cup play with a first-round qualifier tie against Hungary, the International Tennis Federation said Monday.

As one of the nations that reached the Davis Cup Final 8 last month, Canada will host the tie at a venue to be determined.

Team rosters and the playing surface will also be announced at a later date, Tennis Canada said in a statement. The tie will be held either Jan. 31-Feb. 1 or Feb. 1-2.

Two singles matches will be played on the first day, followed by a doubles match and two singles matches on Day 2.

It will be the first-ever meeting between Canada and Hungary at the men’s team tennis tournament.

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Third-ranked Canada, which won the Davis Cup in 2022, dropped a 2-0 decision to Germany in the quarterfinals on Nov. 20 in Malaga, Spain.

Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo and Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., both lost singles matches. Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada’s highest-ranked singles player at No. 29, was not available to play.

Hungary, ranked No. 22, qualified for the first-round qualifier tie by defeating Egypt in World Group 1 play.

Organizers have dropped the group stage from the tournament starting next year.

First-round qualifier winners will advance to the 14-team second-round qualifier in September. The seven winning nations from that round will join defending champion Italy in the 2025 Final 8 in November at Bologna.

As 2024 Final 8 runner-up, the Netherlands received a wild-card entry to the second-round qualifier and will play either Norway or Argentina in September.

The draw for the 2025 qualifiers was held Monday at the ITF offices.

First-round qualifier losers will fall into World Group 1 play in September and will need to win to remain in contention for the following year’s Davis Cup Final 8.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press