The Davis Cup, widely known as the men’s tennis “World Cup,” will be staged in Nansha next month, with China hosting Portugal in a pivotal World Group I play-off.
The tie will be played on 6 and 7 February at the Nansha International Tennis Center in Guangzhou, marking one of China’s most important home Davis Cup fixtures in recent years.
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Organised by the International Tennis Federation, the Davis Cup is the highest-level international men’s team competition in tennis, featuring close to 140 national teams each year across multiple tiers.
China arrives in Nansha after a steady climb in recent Davis Cup campaigns. In February 2025, the team swept Montenegro 4-0 at home in the World Group II play-offs, before securing a 3-1 away victory over Ireland later in the year to advance to the World Group I play-offs. A win this time would see China progress to the World Group I competition scheduled for September.
The Nansha tie will follow a best-of-five format, with two singles matches on the opening day, followed by doubles and up to two singles matches on day two.
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China’s men’s tennis has gathered momentum in recent seasons, with a growing number of players breaking through on the international stage. The challenge will be big, as Portugal entered the tie ranked 27th in the Davis Cup standings, compared to China’s 59th, according to the official competition rankings.
Known for its intense home-and-away format, the Davis Cup often turns home venues into a place of noise and emotion. With home support expected to play a crucial role, China will be aiming to harness the atmosphere in Nansha as it looks to take another step forward on the global tennis stage.
