Evans guides GB to Davis Cup victory
GREAT BRITAIN overcame the absence of world No4 Andy Murray to secure a 3-2 Davis Cup victory over Slovakia following Dan Evans’s thrilling five-set victory over Martin Klizan at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena.
Without Murray, currently training in Florida after his Australian Open semi-final defeat last month, Leon Smith’s squad were severe underdogs in this Europe/Africa Group I tie and looked to be heading for defeat when James Ward sank to a loss against world No 65 Lukas Lacko, which set-up the decisive rubber between Evans and Klizan.
Slovakian Klizan, ranked 156 places higher than Evans in the world rankings, appeared to be closing in on victory when he claimed the fourth set, but the 21-year-old Englishman displayed maturity beyond his years to close out a sensational 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 win.
Evans’s win gave coach Smith a fifth successive Davis Cup triumph and set up April’s second-round tie with Belgium in Glasgow, where he’ll hope to be able to call upon the services of Murray.
“We would welcome him [Murray] back at any time,” said Smith.
“But we want selection issues for the other places. While Dan is the hero of this tie it’s about the group.”