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.
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.
WATCH | Shapovalov and Canada eliminated from Davis Cup Final 8:
After Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo lost to Daniel Altmaier in the opening rubber of the Davis Cup Final quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain, Jan-Lennard Struff beat Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) to eliminate Canada.
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.
WATCH | Sinner, Italy successfully defend Davis Cup title:
After Matteo Berrettini of Italy defeated Botic Van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands in the opening match of the Davis Cup final in Malaga, Spain, top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, to help Italy win its second straight Davis Cup title.
