Great Britain take on Colombia this weekend for a place in the Davis Cup Finals group stages due to be played in September in the hope of progressing to the knockout finals in November.
It’s about getting the win here. It doesn’t matter how, if it’s pretty or ugly. Just get a point on the board and hopefully we can win. Dan Evans
The British team will be led by Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans, Britan’s top two ranked singles players, with the youngster Jack Draper as their back-up, while Joe Salisbury and Neal Skuspsi two highly ranked international doubles players, are set to handle the doubles.
The tie, which will be played at altitude in Bogota on the clay courts of the Pablo Viejo Country Club, and, while on paper the Brits would be clear favourites, it won’t be an easy task for the visitors as Dan Evans was quick to point out on the eve of the first rubber where he hopes to get te ball rolling in Britain’s favour.
“It’s about getting the win here,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how, if it’s pretty or ugly. Just get a point on the board and hopefully we can win.”
The hosts may be well out-ranked in world terms in the singles, but they have a former world No.1 doubles pairing in Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah so early points on the board will be essential.
Captain Leon Smith told the BBC that the Colombia match-up was “without doubt the most complicated tie we could have got.”
He said: “The most obvious hurdle is the altitude. The altitude brings pressureless balls, which our players never play with. The ball is flying so much faster through the air so you need to adapt.
“Then you have the physiological elements as well, so it’s how people are going to react to the thinner air.”
The tie can be seen on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sports website and the Tennis channel starting at 20.00 hours on Friday the 3rd February.
The first rubber is Dan Evans versus Nicolas Mejia which will be followed by Cameron Norrie against Nicolas Barrientos.
The doubles on the second day, Dan Evans is scheduled, starting at 17.00 GMT, to play the doubles with Neal Skupski against Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah which will be followed by the reverse singles.
Further Reading
Miami | Alcaraz cruises through but Zverev crashes out
The world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz opened the defence of his Miami Open Masters’ crown with a dominating and comprehensive 6-0 6-2 win over Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis.
Miami | Swiatek switches to On kit
It wasn’t quite the way Iga Swiatek wanted to debut her new clothing deal, but the World No 1 was clad in On when she talked to the press about having to pull out of the Miami Open due to a rib injury.
Miami | Americans charge into round 3 as Mertens takes out Kasatkina
Americans prevailed in the top half of the draw at the Miami Open Presented by Itaú on Thursday as Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Danielle Collins and Claire Liu reached the 3rd-round, while the only seed to fall was Daria Kasatkina at the hands of Elise Mertens.
Ukraine | WTA slammed again… hate, and Putin & Xi support IOC pathway
The WTA is facing further backlash as Lesia Tsurenko's coach, Nikita Vlasov, calls out the organisation’s superficial measures to protect Ukrainians as insensitive amid the on-going Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Miami | Andreescu fells Raducanu as Swiatek pulls out
There was disappointment for fans as Emma Raducanu, the British No 1, fell to Bianca Andreescu in her opening round at the Miami Open Presented by Itaú on Wednesday, 6-3 3-6 6-2, and news broke that top seed Iga Swiatek had withdrawn due to a rib injury.
