Seoul

India's top singles player Sumit Nagal on Thursday said the Davis Cup qualifier against Korea here could come down to sheer desire as the slow court is expected to get even tougher as the day progresses.

Nagal will face Korean tennis great Hyeon Chung in the second singles rubber on Friday, after Dhakshineswar Suresh opens the tie against Korea’s top-ranked player Kwon Soon-woo.

Nagal is expecting a demanding battle against Chung, whom he has known for years and even partnered in doubles.

"Individual results do not matter in the Davis Cup. At home he will come with his best. He's a great player, I have grown up watching him, I have practised with him a lot of times and have even played doubles alongside him. There will be good points,” Nagal said after the draw ceremony.

"By the time I play, it will be 4pm and the court will become even slower. It will come down to who wants it more. There is no one specific weapon to use against the rivals, it's basically who wants it more on the day."

Hyeon Chung, who was preferred over Hong Seong-chan for the second singles slot, acknowledged that Nagal's baseline game would force him to cover a lot of ground.

"I know him. He is a good player from the baseline which means I have to move a lot in this match," Hyeon said.

Korea captain Jong-Sam Chung backed his decision to field the former world No. 19, saying the experience of the 29-year-old could prove valuable.

“Hyeon has the experience behind him. He will play a crucial role and give a fantastic result to the team,” the captain said.

The hosts are also banking on the slow Seoul conditions, though Kwon said he is accustomed to adapting to different playing surfaces.

“I have played in different countries on different courts, it's not a problem,” Kwon said.

The opening-day doubles will see N Sriram Balaji partner late inclusion Niki Poonacha against Uisung Park and Jisung Nam.

Nam, known for his aggressive net play, said the slow conditions would not force him to abandon his preferred tactics.

“Despite the slow court, I am going to play my net game the way I play. Nothing changes for me,” Nam said.

India captain Rohit Rajpal said Poonacha's inclusion ahead of Anirudh Chandrasekar was primarily dictated by the court conditions, with the former arriving late after the team had already assessed the surface.

“Given the court conditions, we felt Niki is a better choice, there is no other reason. All my players are playing at good level," Rajpal said.

Asked if there was one particular match-up that could determine the tie, Rajpal refused to single one out but stressed the importance of getting off to a good start.

"There is no one match but I am hoping for a good start from DK. Hope he gives us the momentum," he said.

Balaji, meanwhile, is confident that his partnership with Poonacha can work effectively despite the late change. Poonacha got the chance in place of injured Yuki Bhambri.

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“Choosing the right partner is very important. His game complements mine. We have practised together for years and played together. We both are good servers. He has a big game. We are ready for the tie,” Balaji said.