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Dan Evans wasted no time impressing on Jack Draper the responsibility he now carries as the new figurehead of British tennis.
The US Open semi-finalist was the star attraction at Manchester’s AO Arena on Wednesday even though he was rested for Britain’s opening 2-1 Davis Cup victory against Finland.
Draper is set to play his first match in the competition since becoming British number one against Argentina on Friday, where victory would see them qualify for the quarter-finals in Malaga in November.
“I said to Jack last year, ‘Please, it’s going to be up to you, please take it (seriously)’,” said Evans.
“He doesn’t need me to ask him but I just think it’s important for him to hear that it is an important event still and he is going to be the one who’s holding the baton.
“And they’re going to have a good team soon. They’ve got some good young players coming, Jacob Fearnley and these guys, with Jack as number one.
“There’s people, and rightly so, in his team, who maybe don’t want him to be exerting energy this week because he’s got big tournaments but it’s for the country and he’s got himself up here and he’s as into it as anybody on the team.
“You saw his celebrations last year in the car with Andy (Murray), I’m pretty sure he’s passionate about Davis Cup.”
Draper’s merry rendition of the Proclaimers’ ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ during a journey back to London in Murray’s car following last year’s dramatic group victory in Manchester went viral.
The 22-year-old made his debut that week and played only one match but, 12 months later, with Murray retired and Cameron Norrie injured, he is central to British hopes.
The Davis Cup has undergone a controversial revamp in recent years and its place in tennis continues to be debated but there has never been any question how much it means to Evans, who made his debut back in 2009 and cited being fit for this week as a bigger priority than the US Open.
“I was lucky enough when I was really young to be in a tie with Tim (Henman), Greg (Rusedski), Jamie (Murray) and Andy, and how they acted and what it meant was everything to them,” said the 34-year-old, who attended last year’s finals event as a fan after missing out through injury.
“I’ve been really fortunate and, for the younger people, I’ve just tried to install (in them) that it is important and I think that’s part of what my job is on the court.”
Evans, now ranked down at 178, knows his time in the team is nearing its end, while Norrie is 29 – the same age as Wednesday’s debutant Billy Harris, who, despite impressing, cannot be said to be one for the future.
If 23-year-old Fearnley continues to progress at the rate he has been, a first call-up appears imminent, while last year’s Wimbledon junior champion Henry Searle also carries big hopes.
I said to Jack last year, 'Please, it's going to be up to you, please take it (seriously)'.— Dan Evans on Jack Draper
The first priority for captain Leon Smith, though, is to ensure Britain make it through this week, and Friday’s tie presents a real challenge.
Argentina’s three available singles players; Sebastian Baez, Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, are all ranked in the top 35 while their doubles pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni were Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finalists.
There were fewer than 5,000 people in the crowd on Wednesday and Smith criticised the lack of noise during the doubles, where defeat could potentially come back to bite the hosts.
“Anyone that’s coming Friday or Sunday, you’ve got to empty the tank because it makes a difference after a long day,” said the GB captain. “It was really, really quiet out there and we’ve got to make more of that home advantage.”
Canada, who defeated Argentina on Tuesday, claimed their second win of the group stage on Thursday with victory over Finland.
