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Andrew Feinberg
White Home Correspondent
Dan Evans wasted no time impressing on Jack Draper the duty he now carries as the brand new figurehead of British tennis.
The US Open semi-finalist was the star attraction at Manchester’s AO Enviornment on Wednesday although he was rested for Britain’s opening 2-1 Davis Cup victory towards Finland.
Draper is ready to play his first match within the competitors since turning into British primary towards Argentina on Friday, the place victory would see them qualify for the quarter-finals in Malaga in November.
“I mentioned to Jack final 12 months, ‘Please, it’s going to be as much as you, please take it (significantly)’,” mentioned Evans.
“He doesn’t want me to ask him however I simply assume it’s vital for him to listen to that it is a crucial occasion nonetheless and he’s going to be the one who’s holding the baton.
“They usually’re going to have a superb workforce quickly. They’ve bought some good younger gamers coming, Jacob Fearnley and these guys, with Jack as primary.
“There’s individuals, and rightly so, in his workforce, who perhaps don’t need him to be exerting power this week as a result of he’s bought large tournaments nevertheless it’s for the nation and he’s bought himself up right here and he’s as into it as anyone on the workforce.
“You noticed his celebrations final 12 months within the automobile with Andy (Murray), I’m fairly certain he’s obsessed with Davis Cup.”
Draper’s merry rendition of the Proclaimers’ ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ throughout a journey again to London in Murray’s automobile following final 12 months’s dramatic group victory in Manchester went viral.
The 22-year-old made his debut that week and performed just one match however, 12 months later, with Murray retired and Cameron Norrie injured, he’s central to British hopes.
The Davis Cup has undergone a controversial revamp in recent times and its place in tennis continues to be debated however there has by no means been any query how a lot it means to Evans, who made his debut again in 2009 and cited being match for this week as an even bigger precedence than the US Open.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient after I was actually younger to be in a tie with Tim (Henman), Greg (Rusedski), Jamie (Murray) and Andy, and the way they acted and what it meant was the whole lot to them,” mentioned the 34-year-old, who attended final 12 months’s finals occasion as a fan after lacking out via damage.
“I’ve been actually lucky and, for the youthful individuals, I’ve simply tried to put in (in them) that it is vital and I believe that’s a part of what my job is on the court docket.”
Evans, now ranked down at 178, is aware of his time within the workforce is nearing its finish, whereas Norrie is 29 – the identical age as Wednesday’s debutant Billy Harris, who, regardless of impressing, can’t be mentioned to be one for the longer term.
If 23-year-old Fearnley continues to progress on the charge he has been, a primary call-up seems imminent, whereas final 12 months’s Wimbledon junior champion Henry Searle additionally carries large hopes.
I mentioned to Jack final 12 months, ‘Please, it may be as much as you, please take it (significantly)’.
Dan Evans on Jack Draper
The primary precedence for captain Leon Smith, although, is to make sure Britain make it via this week, and Friday’s tie presents an actual problem.
Argentina’s three obtainable singles gamers; Sebastian Baez, Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, are all ranked within the prime 35 whereas their doubles pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni have been Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finalists.
There have been fewer than 5,000 individuals within the crowd on Wednesday and Smith criticised the shortage of noise in the course of the doubles, the place defeat may doubtlessly come again to chunk the hosts.
“Anybody that’s coming Friday or Sunday, you’ve bought to empty the tank as a result of it makes a distinction after a protracted day,” mentioned the GB captain. “It was actually, actually quiet on the market and we’ve bought to make extra of that house benefit.”
Canada, who defeated Argentina on Tuesday, claimed their second win of the group stage on Thursday with victory over Finland.
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