Monaco’s Davis Cup team takes on Finland on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 in a bid to secure a historic qualification for the Qualifiers group, which brings together the world’s top tennis nations. The draw for the tie was completed this afternoon in the presence of both delegations.
Lucas Catarina, making a notable return to the team, will have the honour of opening the tie in singles against Otto Virtanen. Valentin Vacherot follows on the court at Espoo Metro Areena, facing Eero Vasa. Saturday brings the doubles rubber, potentially decisive for Hugo Nys and Romain Arneodo, who face the Finnish pairing of Harri Heliövaara and Emil Niklas-Salminen. Should the tie remain level, a fourth or even fifth match may be required to determine the winner.
The stakes are significant for Monaco. The Principality earned its place in this World Group I tie back in February, when Vacherot delivered a dramatic 7-6, 7-6 win over Alexander Bublik in Kazakhstan to send Monaco through, a result that also extended his Davis Cup singles record to 10 wins and 3 losses. Should Monaco beat Finland this weekend, the team would advance to the Davis Cup Qualifiers, the tier just below the Finals themselves, and a level the Principality has never previously reached.
Vacherot arrives in Finland on the back of a strong season that has included a run to the semi-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters and the third round of the US Open, having reached a career-high ranking of world No. 16 back in May. Catarina, meanwhile, officially retired from professional tennis in 2025, making his return to the Monégasque squad for this tie a notable storyline heading into the weekend.
All matches will be broadcast live on Monaco Info, beginning on Friday from 5pm and continuing Saturday from 1pm.