Great Britain set for World Group showdown after stunning comeback to defeat Russia
By MIKE DICKSON
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The last time Great Britain’s Davis Cup team came back to win from 2-0 down, Fred Perry was a promising youngster and the world had barely heard of Adolf Hitler.
But, 83 years on, they did it again on Sunday, without Andy Murray, thanks to one player who had looked a broken man after losing on Friday and another who that night admitted that he does not work hard enough at his tennis.
One-man team? Try telling that to powerhouse Russia — and the humbly ranked James Ward and Dan Evans, resident naughty boy of the British game, who finished off an extraordinary 3-2 victory begun on Saturday with a point in the doubles.
Back from the brink: Team GB celebrate a remarkable comeback as they beat Russia 3-2 in Coventry
Against the odds: James Ward (second left) and Dan Evans (below) won their singles matches on Sunday
After a remarkable day, GB now go into the hat for the draw that will decide September’s promotion play-offs, when the winners’ reward will be a place back among the elite 16-team World Group.
Murray was sitting this one out as he prepares for his assault on the world No 1 position when the European clay-court season gets under way next week, but he has already pledged to return for it.
That should mean that rare thing in the often-obscure world of British tennis also-rans — a selection dilemma for Leon Smith, a low-profile captain but one who deserves huge credit for his innovative selection of Evans and his masterminding of the team.
Going the distance: Ward started the day with a five-set win against Dmitry Tursunov
The rankings suggest Britain should never have got close to the 2006 Davis Cup champions, who were without their No 1 Mikhail Youzhny. But Russia had assumed they would have too much firepower for GB.
Instead, Ward, the 26-year-old cabbie’s son from Euston, recovered from Friday’s draining opening loss to edge out the formidable Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in three-and-a-half hours to the delight of a packed crowd at Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
That left the floor open to Warwickshire’s own Evans, who is an incorrigible figure on the British tennis scene.
Delight: Ward celebrates his 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-4 6-4 win at the Ricoh Arena
On Friday, he conceded that he ‘must be pretty bad at my job’ because he underachieves in the lower reaches of the tour, despite possessing an almost Henmanesque all-court game.
Many is the player who wilts when faced with a deciding rubber in this competition, but, just as he did in the same circumstances against Slovakia last year in Glasgow, Evans grew several inches above his 5ft 9in stature.
Faced with the contrastingly nervous Evgeny Donskoy, the world No 80 reckoned to be among the top up-and-comers in the game, Evans was dominant from the start. He ended up being mobbed on court by his team-mates after a stunning 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 victory that had you rubbing your eyes in disbelief.
Smashed: Evans followed up Ward's win with a straight sets victory against Evgeny Donskoy
Dominant: Evans dropped only nine games on his way to beating a man ranked 245 places above him
On the up: Evans' win in the final match sent Britain into a World Group play-off in September
In the stands: GB fans show their support
Given Evans’ struggles with self-discipline and fondness for a night out, Smith did not even pick him in the original squad, but asked him along as a hitting partner. Seeing his form on court, he made the hard decision to drop Jamie Baker, the initial selection, for him.
The 22-year-old from Solihull, ranked a ridiculous 325, loves the team environment: ‘I like to be looked after 24/7. There are great coaches here, and there’s less chance of me getting distracted.
‘We played well on Friday and it was a joke we were 2-0 down. I always think I can beat anyone on my day. I was a bit nervous beforehand, but that left me after the first point.’
Earlier, Ward had scored arguably the best win of his career in making up a ranking deficit of 138 places to beat Tursunov, a quality player who has seven full ATP titles to his name.
He refused to lie down. Powered by an overall tally of 33 aces, he was able to break for 3-2 in the decider, cling on for 5-3 and then serve it out with a courageous lack of drama.
‘I’ve won at Wimbledon. This is right up there,’ said Ward, whose testy opponent was given a warning for sticking his middle finger up at the animated crowd when arguing over a line call.
‘I felt the only time he was on top was in the third set; otherwise, I felt in control for most of the match. It’s another reminder of what I can do going forward. It definitely gives you belief.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2305415/Great-Britain-v-Russia--Davis-Cup-James-Ward-Dan-Evans-win-reverse-singles-complete-comeback.html#ixzz2QHPgcvtX
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