Korea Opens Davis Cup Playoff With Netherlands
By Yoon Chul
Korea Times Intern
South Korea's tennis team will travel to face the Netherlands in a Davis Cup World Group playoff, beginning Friday at Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
The teams will play four singles matches and one doubles match in three days.
The Davis Cup World Group features 16 nations, with eight countries which lost in the first round of the World Group competing in playoff matches against countries which passed a continent preliminary to re-advance to the World Group.
South Korea, which passed through an Asia-Oceania preliminary, advanced to the World Group for the first time in 20 years when it qualified in 2007 by beating first-round loser Slovakia in a playoff. Korea then lost to Germany 3-2 in the first round in February.
Korea can reach the World Group again if it beats the Netherlands, which advanced to the World Group every year from 1991-2006. If Korea doesn't beat the Dutch team, it will go back to the Asia-Oceania first group.
Korea's team is made of four players, with Lee Hyung-taik ranked 154th, Jun Woong-sun 246th, An Jae-sung 371th and Im Kyu-tae 485th.
The Netherlands features Robin Haase ranked 97th, Jesse Huta Galung 181th, Thiemo de Bakker 252th and Peter Wessels 324th.
Korea's chances of winning could depend on Lee's condition. The Korean ace, who has played for his country for 13 years, has struggled with a knee injury since June. His ranking has dropped from 55th to 154th.
However, Lee has a history of playing well in Davis Cup events that includes three victories in the playoff against Slovakia
``Though his condition is not 100 percent, he can focus on his play without worrying about his knee,'' Korea manager Kim Nam-hoon said.
The Netherlands is in a similar situation with its ace Robin Haase also struggling with a knee injury. However, the Netherlands' other players are ranked higher than their Korean counterparts.