Davis Cup: Full results of the first round of play-offs
This weekend, the Davis Cup was back in action. Almost three months after the Final 8, which saw Italy triumph for the second year running, the 2025 edition kicked off with the first round of the play-offs.
France was expected to face Brazil in Orléans, and Paul-Henri Mathieu's team responded with a 4-0 victory.
In September, Les Bleus will face Croatia, easy winners over Slovakia (3-1), in a bid to reach the Final 8, a stage of the competition in which only Italy is currently guaranteed a place.
Last year's finalists, the Netherlands, were given a "bye" for this first round and will face Argentina, who struggled to escape the trap set by Norway (3-2 victory in Oslo).
Amid all the controversy, Belgium booked their place in the second round of the Davis Cup play-offs with a 3-1 victory over Chile, aided by Cristian Garin's disqualification in the fourth match.
The Belgian nation will face Australia, who quietly eliminated Sweden in Stockholm (3-1).
Canada, meanwhile, were eliminated by Hungary in the decisive fifth match. The group led by Marozsan and Fucsovics will face Austria, who came from behind to defeat Finland (4-0).
Japan, who put in a fine performance to see off Great Britain thanks in particular to Nishikori's return to form, will play Germany, who knocked out Israel.
The United States and the Czech Republic, who meet in September, had no difficulty in eliminating Taiwan and South Korea respectively.
The USA were without Fritz, Paul, Shelton and Tiafoe, but that didn't stop the most successful nation in Davis Cup history from reaching the second round of the play-offs.
Finally, Denmark, who overturned a Serbia deprived of Djokovic (3-2 after trailing 0-2), will face Spain, hosts of the last Final 8 for Nadal's last tournament. The Iberian nation dominated Switzerland without fear (3-1).
