Buenos Aires – After a lengthy stretch of playing away from home, the Argentine men’s tennis team will return to familiar ground this September, hosting Turkey in a World Group I Davis Cup tie. The draw, conducted Thursday at the ITF offices in London, delivered a favorable outcome for Javier Frana’s squad, marking their first home series in two and a half years.
Argentina entered the draw as the second seed, guaranteeing a matchup against an unseeded nation. The draw paired them with Turkey, setting the stage for a contest scheduled between September 18-19 or 19-20 at a yet-to-be-determined venue within Argentina.
Return to Jockey Club Grounds
This home tie ends a significant period of away matches for the Argentine team. Their most recent home appearance came in early 2024, a hard-fought victory over Kazakhstan at the Jockey Club Rosario. Following that win, the Albiceleste participated in the Finals group stage in Manchester, ultimately qualifying for the Malaga stage where they were defeated by eventual champions Italy.
In 2025, Argentina began their campaign with a victory in Norway, marking Frana’s debut as captain. Another qualifying round was played abroad, in Groningen, Netherlands, resulting in another Argentine win. However, their run ended in Bologna, Italy, where they fell to Germany in the quarterfinals.
Earlier this season, Argentina faced further travel, visiting South Korea after losing the home draw. The defeat in Busan dashed their hopes of securing a place in the Finals for a third consecutive year, leading to this World Group I event – a stage they hadn’t contested since September 2023, when they defeated Lithuania in Buenos Aires.
Türkiye: The Opponent
Turkey currently lacks representation in the top 100 of the ATP rankings, in either singles or doubles. Their leading player is Mert Alkaya, currently ranked 375th in the world. Captain Erhan Oral has selected a team including Yanki Erel (437), Ergi Kirkin (553), Kerem Yilmaz (1640), and Kaan Isik Kosaner (unranked), following their 3-1 victory over Slovenia last weekend.
Turkey is ranked 33rd in the ITF nations ranking, while Argentina holds the 10th position. The two nations have a limited history in the Davis Cup, with only one prior encounter dating back to 1964 in Istanbul. Argentina emerged victorious in that match, winning 5-0.
A win for Argentina in this upcoming tie will guarantee their participation in the 2027 Qualifiers, keeping their aspirations of lifting the coveted salad bowl alive. Conversely, a loss will see them compete in the Playoffs against the winners of World Group II.
Elsewhere in Group I, other notable ties include Australia versus Poland, Netherlands versus Colombia, Hungary versus Luxembourg, Brazil versus Switzerland, Finland versus Monaco, Denmark versus Bulgaria, Serbia versus Lithuania, Slovakia versus Greece, Japan versus New Zealand, Norway versus China, Sweden versus Chinese Taipei, and Peru versus Paraguay.
The return to home soil represents a significant boost for the Argentine team, offering a familiar environment and the enthusiastic support of their fans as they strive to advance in the Davis Cup competition. The match against Turkey presents a clear opportunity for Argentina to build momentum and continue their pursuit of Davis Cup glory.
