[ad_1]
Jack Draper will lead Great Britain’s team at the Davis Cup Finals group stage in Manchester in September.
The 22-year-old, who rose to a career-high ranking of 26 in the world on Monday, is joined in the team by Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski.
Norrie knocked compatriot Draper out in the second round of this year’s Wimbledon, while there is no place in the team for Wimbledon men’s doubles champion Henry Patten.
Great Britain will take on Canada, Finland and Argentina at the AO Arena from September 10-15, with the top two teams from the group progressing to the Final Eight event in Malaga in November.
Draper made his debut in the group stage last year, edging to a three-set victory over Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, but was left out of the crunch match against France, where Evans and Skupski eventually secured a nail-biting victory in the deciding doubles.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Britain’s Jack Draper claimed the biggest win of his career with a straight-sets victory over eventual Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s Club last month.
A record crowd for the competition in Britain of 13,000 watched the contest, and captain Leon Smith said: “The support in Manchester last year was incredible.
“The crowds turned out in record numbers and carried us over the line in a tight and dramatic final day. We’ve got a really strong team once again and I’m sure it’s going to be another special week in Manchester in September.”
Britain were eliminated in the quarter-finals in Malaga by Serbia last autumn after Draper lost to Miomir Kecmanovic and Norrie was beaten by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic helped end Great Britain’s Davis Cup run last year
Italy ultimately emerged victorious last year, beating Australia in the final. It was Italy’s second Davis Cup title, having previously won in 1976.
In 2015, Great Britain ended the longest drought in the competition’s history of 73 years when defeating Belgium to claim their first Davis Cup since 1936.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.
- Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
- Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
- Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
- Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
- Iasi Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
- Umag Open (ATP 250) 21-26 July
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
[ad_2]
Source link