Monaco will face Portugal in a pivotal first round of the play-offs in the Davis Cup at home on the clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club this weekend. A win for the Monegasque players will secure their place in World Group I and boost their chances of reaching the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers.

On Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February, Monaco will play Portugal for the sixth time in Davis Cup history. This time, a victory will guarantee the winners a place in World Group I, securing them a tie in September and potentially a spot in the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers.

The draw for the matchups took place on Friday 31st of January at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in the presence of the players who will represent the Principality and their coach, Guillaume Couillard.

“We always aim to perform at our best, whether playing in Monaco or away,” Couillard told Monaco Life. “The team has prepared as usual, and we are approaching this tie in high spirits. I have full confidence in our players.”

The matches are scheduled to begin at 11am each day on the weekend, weather permitting.

The opening day will see Valentin Vacherot, currently ranked 115th in the ATP singles rankings, take on Jaime Faria (125th) in the first singles match, followed by Benjamin Balleret versus Portugal’s top-ranked player, Nuno Borges, who is ranked 33rd in singles and 252nd in doubles.

The second day will start with a doubles match, where Monaco’s pairing of Hugo Nys (ranked 25th in doubles) and Romain Arneodo (73rd) will go up against Francisco Cabral (76th) and Borges. The Principality pair will be hoping to replicate their 2024 doubles title win at the Del Monte Lisboa Belém Open. The tie will conclude with two more singles matches, as Vacherot faces Borges and Balleret plays Faria.

“Every match in the Davis Cup is significant because each point contributes to the overall outcome,” shared Vacherot. “I am really looking forward to stepping onto the court and delivering my best performance for Monaco.”

The event will be open to the public, with each of the matches will be streamed live on Monaco Info for those who can’t make it down to the Monte-Carlo Country Club in person.

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Left to right in photo: Hugo Nys, Romain Arneodo, Benjamin Balleret, Valentin Vacherot and Guillaume Couillard

Photo by Monaco Life