Davis Cup 2026: Arthur Fery & Cam Norrie on recent form, training together & returning to the GB squad
• 3 minute read
Great Britain have their eyes set on a return to the Davis Cup Finals this November, with just one more test standing in their way.
Leon Smith’s side will take on Ecuador this weekend in what will be the first Davis Cup tie hosted in London for 10 years at the Copper Box Arena.
A win will send the team to the Final 8 in Bologna, Italy, where they will have the chance to battle it out to become champions for the first time since 2015.
However, the challenge ahead will be far from straightforward, playing an Ecuador team that upset Australia in the previous round.
Smith is also working with a new-look GB squad that boasts lots of quality, including two players in Arthur Fery and Henry Patten, who have made just one Davis Cup appearance each, and another, Toby Samuel, making his debut.
Wimbledon semi-finalist and Winston Salem runner-up Fery is set to lead the charge this weekend as Britain’s top-ranked singles player and is relishing the opportunity to build on his winning debut against Poland last year.
“I’m looking forward to the week,” Fery said. “It’s nice to get back together as a team. Hopefully we can get the win at the weekend.
“It’s been a good last 12 months that’s for sure. I was in a very different position when I played my first tie in Poland. I’ve been mostly healthy, which is great, playing a lot of tournaments, had a great grass court season, and I’m looking forward to being the No.1 singles this weekend.
“It was great backing up the result at Wimbledon with another good result straight after (at Winston Salem). I think there was some expectation for me to do well straight after so it was good to have my first final in a 250. It was a good week, positive for the confidence, for the ranking, and everything is moving in the right direction.
“It’s a big honour to play No.1 for GB but there’s no added pressure to it. I’m just trying to focus on the tennis, focus on getting the win and the rest will follow.
“I’ve had a lot of high pressure situations already this year so I feel like I’m ready to play this weekend in front of all the fans.”
Fery will also be joined by former top-10 player, Cam Norrie. Norrie is one of the more experienced members of this team, alongside reigning Australian Open and US Open champion and world No.3, Neal Skupski.
The 31-year-old will come into the Ecuador tie in decent form after a semi-final run in Los Cabos and reaching the fourth round of the National Bank Open, but is hoping to bounce back from a first round exit in New York.
I can see the level of focus and determination is different and he’s not getting distracted. I’m impressed with him.
“I was disappointed with the US Open and how that went, especially as I’d built up some confidence and I was really looking forward to playing well there,” Norrie said. “It didn’t happen for me and I was actually a bit sick after the US Open so I’ve been at home resting.
“I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve never played Davis Cup in London so it’s going to be a special one. It’s nice to be back in the UK. All my family are here to support me and some friends as well.
“We have a really strong team. It’s a unique week, being with the boys, it’s not like the other weeks on the tour. You have everyone around to bounce the energy off. They’ve been some really memorable weeks for me and hopefully we can have another one here.”
Fery and Norrie share several things in common. Both played in the NCAA as part of their development, both have reached semi-finals at Wimbledon, they have similar game styles, they are relentless competitors and they are both fully dedicated to their craft.
Since going out of the US Open, both have been straight back to work, training together at the National Tennis Centre, building up to this all-important Davis Cup tie.
The respect they have for each other’s game and achievements is clear, and Norrie has noticed an added layer of intensity to Fery’s preparations.
“I got to London early and have been practicing indoors – I’ve had some really good sessions with Arthur,” Norrie said.
“He’s definitely more confident and I can see that he’s a lot more focused and a lot more invested in his team. We were doing sessions when we’re the only two here, which is nice to see him putting in the work. We played a set yesterday and there were no bad points.
“I can see the level of focus and determination is different and he’s not getting distracted. He’s working hard and coming forward really well. I’m impressed with him.”
Speaking on his British teammate, Fery added, “It’s awesome to be playing with him and training here. We had two really good sessions.
“We both play in similar ways so we have great practices and we both push each other a lot. The intensity is really high and it’s a good workout. The level has been pretty high.
“You know when you step on court with him you’re going to hit a lot of balls so you have to be ready.”
Great Britain will take on Ecuador in the Davis Cup Qualifiers second round from 19-20 September at London’s Copper Box Arena.
