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Davis Cup 2021: Meet the team: Great Britain’s squad for the Davis Cup Finals by Rakuten

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Get ready for the world cup of men’s tennis – the Davis Cup Finals by Rakuten – starting from Thursday 25 November through to Sunday 5 December.

2019 semi-finalists, Great Britain return to the finals with their eyes on the top prize. They face France and Czech Republic in the group stages in Innsbruck.

The group winner will stay in Austria for quarter-finals, while the best two runners-up across all groups will head out to Madrid to face either the champions of groups A or B. If they come through those three ties, they will line up in the semi’s and (fingers crossed) the final.

Great Britain's Davis Cup Finals by Rakuten ties:

  • vs France - Saturday 27 November
  • vs Czech Republic - Sunday 28 November

Captain Leon Smith has assembled a strong squad to head out to Austria in November, which includes Grand Slam champions, ATP Masters title winners and four players inside the world’s top 25.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2021 British Davis Cup Finals squad:

Cam Norrie

Cam Norrie semi-final Queens (1).jpg

Age: 26

Ranking: 14

Davis Cup ties played: 2

Davis Cup record: 2 – 2

The breakthrough star on the ATP Tour this year, Norrie has won an incredible 47 matches (more than World No.1 Novak Djokovic) and reached a tour best of six finals in 2021. Norrie’s titles in Los Cabos and most recently in Indian Wells have seen him climb 57 spots in the rankings this season to become the new British No.1.

The 26-year-old played his first Davis Cup tie against Spain back in 2018 in one of the most memorable British debuts of all time – coming back from two sets down to defeat World No.23 Roberto Bautista-Agut.

His only other tie came against Uzbekistan that same year where he won one of his rubbers before being edged in another five-set thriller against Jurabek Karimov.

Dan Evans

Dan Evan - Nottingham Day 4.jpg

Age: 31

Ranking: 24

Davis Cup ties played: 16

Davis Cup record: 8 – 17

Building on his strong season in 2020, Evans won his first ATP Tour title earlier this year at the Murray River Open in Melbourne. He recorded the biggest win of his career against Djokovic at the Monte-Carlo Masters – where he reached the semi-finals – and also featured in the latter stages of the Viking Open Nottingham and the cinch Championships.

During the summer he was named Men’s Player of the Year for 2020 at the LTA Tennis Awards and in September, he achieved his career high ranking of 22.

The most experienced Davis Cup player in the team and the only member of the 2015 title-winning squad to feature this year – Evans knows what it takes to play and win for the British team.

The World No.24 made his debut for Great Britain back in 2009 against Poland and has since gone on to win important matches against the likes of Denis Shapovalov and Jan-Lennard Struff.

Joe Salisbury

Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram.jpg

Age: 29

Ranking (doubles): 3

Davis Cup ties played: 0

Davis Cup record: N/A

Salisbury has arguably been the best doubles player on the planet this year – scooping up the men’s doubles title at the US Open, as well as two mixed doubles trophies at the French and US Opens.

On top of that, he also made it to the semi-finals of the men’s doubles at Wimbledon as well as the mixed final with fellow Brit, Harriet Dart. Salisbury and American partner Rajeev Ram won their first ATP Maters title in Toronto back in August and have already qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin.

This year the Brit also teamed up with countryman and fellow Davis Cup star Neal Skupski to lift the trophy in San Diego. Salisbury featured the Team GB squad for Tokyo, where he reached the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles alongside Andy Murray.

This will be the 29-year-old’s first taste of Davis Cup action and is the only debutant in the 2021 Finals squad.

Neal Skupski

Neal Skupski Wimbledon win (1).jpg

Age: 31

Ranking (doubles): 20

Davis Cup ties played: 3

Davis Cup record: 2 – 1

Rounding off this year’s team is doubles star Neal Skupski, who has himself achieved a number of firsts this season. He won his first Grand Slam title in the Wimbledon mixed doubles, broke into the world’s top 20 for the first time, reached his first ATP Masters final with Evans and competed in his first Olympic Games alongside Jamie Murray.

Skupski made his Davis Cup debut at the 2019 finals, where he played a pivotal role in the deciding rubbers against the Netherlands and Kazakhstan. He and Murray were then unfortunate to finish on the wrong side of a nail-biting match against Rafael Nadal and Feliciano Lopez in the semi-finals, losing 7-6, 7-6 to the eventual champions.

Captain: Leon Smith

Leon Smith Battle of the Brits.jpg

Davis Cup ties: 26       

Davis Cup record: 19-7

In 2010, Smith became the youngest British Davis Cup captain since 1975 and 11 years later, he has cemented his name in history as one of the most successful coaches in history.

In 2015, he led a squad including the likes of Andy Murray, Jamie Murray, James Ward, Kyle Edmund and Evans to defy the odds and lift the trophy for the first time since 1936.

In his time as captain, Britain have not only won the title but also reached two semi-finals and two quarter-finals at the Davis Cup.

Commenting on his 2021 squad, Smith said: “I’m delighted to name our first four players to represent Britain at the upcoming Davis Cup Finals in Austria. Every player has had a career-best season and will bring some strong qualities to the team. 

"A fifth player will be confirmed in the next few weeks and we are very much looking forward to playing in the Finals again this year, having missed it in 2020.” 

How to watch the Davis Cup Finals by Rakuten

Watch all of Great Britain's ties at the Davis Cup Finals by Rakuten live on Eurosport.

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