Gb Hope To Avoid 'fa Cup Giant-killing' In Davis Cup

Great Britain must hit Poland successful Gdynia complete nan adjacent 2 days to person a chance of winning nan Davis Cup adjacent year.

The world number 7 Jack Draper is unavailable for nan World Group 1 necktie because of injury, but Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley will person a immense ranking advantage complete their opponents.

It feels for illustration a Premier League broadside being drawn distant to a non-league squad successful nan 3rd information of nan FA Cup.

World number 34 Norrie will play 19-year-old Tomasz Berkieta, classed 545th, successful nan first of Friday's singles. Then Fearnley, who is 54th, follows connected against Olaf Pieczkowski, who stands astatine 484.

Straightforward? "It doesn't often activity that way," warned nan GB skipper Leon Smith.

"If you look astatine tennis arsenic a sport, I deliberation much than shot successful a way, guys classed 400 aliases 500, they are playing to a bully level.

"We do spell successful arsenic favourites, but you person to beryllium very respectful of nan opposition, which we are, and very professional, which we person been."

The world's number 1 doubles pair, Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash, will make their debut successful Saturday's doubles, which will beryllium followed by 2 reverse singles. Arthur Fery, aged 23, is nan 5th personnel of nan team.

Poland are without their apical 2 singles players. The 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz has knee troubles and Kamil Majchrzak had to discontinue from his third-round lucifer astatine nan US Open because of a thorax musculus injury.

Britain mislaid 3-2 successful Japan successful nan first information of this year’s Davis Cup, and truthful must triumph this necktie to support their position among nan elite. Defeat would mean a February play-off which could consequence successful relegation to World Group 2.

Draper will miss nan remainder of nan play because of bony bruising successful his serving arm, which led to his withdrawal from nan US Open.

Captain Smith says nan British number 1 had been readying to play successful Gdynia, but his squad person made "the correct call".

"He was keen to travel present and that was nan plan, truthful it's a shame that he's not here," Smith told BBC Sport.

"But much importantly for him, I consciousness for him. The momentum that he had built successful that first portion of nan twelvemonth was exceptional and he's had a fewer challenges before, but he will travel aft this.

"I deliberation what they person done is nan correct call, to return this clip retired now and get this sorted, and activity connected different aspects. And I'm judge he will beryllium backmost for nan commencement of nan season."

Even erstwhile players are afloat fit, it tin beryllium difficult for squad captains to unafraid their services, arsenic Davis Cup ties are regularly played nan week aft a Grand Slam.

Andy Murray played sparingly for 3 years successful his early 20s, erstwhile GB were extracurricular nan World Group, but Smith is optimistic Draper will proceed to want to play for nan team.

“I get nan emotion that nan players want to beryllium portion of this," he said.

"We, astatine nan LTA, and nan players here, you tin show they worth this, they worth coming together.

"Our occupation this play is to effort and support successful nan apical group truthful we tin effort and triumph it adjacent year, but location are intelligibly much conversations that request to beryllium had astir nan scheduling, to effort and get those players that are going heavy successful nan Slams.

"If you want them to play, asking them for a fewer days turnaround - sometimes to recreation highly acold aliases alteration surfaces - that's going to beryllium difficult.

"So I get nan emotion location is simply a beardown appetite to correspond your state successful Davis Cup, but location is immoderate activity to do successful nan formatting."

A torn bicep and unwellness has prevented Norrie playing Davis Cup since nan 2023 quarter-final pinch Serbia.

The 30-year-old has already played 22 tournaments this year, but says Davis Cup weeks are "very different".

"It's ever 1 of my favourite weeks, playing for your country," he said.

"It's specified a awesome group of guys and girls - it's conscionable precisely what I want to beryllium doing.

"It's a very different week to a week connected nan tour. It's almost for illustration different remainder - it's specified a precious week.

"You could beryllium resting, you could beryllium practising, you could beryllium playing different tournament. But for maine I ever want to effort and prioritise that successful my career."