Tennis

Lý Hoàng Nam of Việt Nam will lead the national team at the 2023 Davis Cup World Group II Playoffs on February 4-5 in Bắc Ninh Province. Photo courtesy of VTF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will play Indonesia, the first big task of the year, in the 2023 Davis Cup World Group II Playoffs on February 4-5 at the Hanaka Paris Ocean Park in Bắc Ninh Province.

Players will compete in five matches. Two single matches will be held in the first day while one single and two doubles matches are on the next day. The winners of the three matches will advance to the main round of the Group II in September while the losers will be dropped to the Group III Asia-Oceania zone competition.

Việt Nam, which is No. 68 in the world, features national top player Lý Hoàng Nam, Lê Quốc Khánh, Phạm Minh Tuấn, Nguyễn Văn Phương and Nguyễn Đắc Tiến. Among them, Nam shoulders a heavy task as he is the highest-placed player sitting at No. 247 in single rankings and No. 944 in doubles.

Meanwhile, world No. 62 Indonesia will feature its veteran player Christopher Rungkat. The 33-year-old was ranked No. 241 in the singles category in 2013 but has disappeared in the ranking since December 2018. 

Rungkat is a master in the doubles event. He placed No. 68 in 2019 and is currently No. 200 in the world.

Other players are Rifki Fitriadi, David Agung Susanto, Nathan Anthony Barki and Anthony Susanto under captain Wirjawan Sugiharta.

Teams arrive in Bắc Ninh on January 31 and will have several days practising on the hard court of Asia’s biggest tennis complex. Matches are free for supporters. VNS