Jack Draper ready to shine after a year in the shadows as Great Britain seek unlikely victory against Novak Djokovic’s Serbia in the Davis Cup
- Great Britain will be seeking to force a deciding doubles in quarter-final tie
- Draper takes on Djere in singles on Thursday before Norrie faces Djokovic
- World No 1 Djokovic has lost three of his four doubles matches this season
Jack Draper will have to feed hope to the 5,000 British fans expected to get behind Britain’s Davis Cup team as they tackle a Serbia team led by mighty Novak Djokovic.
The 21 year-old from Surrey will have a mass of travellers and ex-pats supporting him when he kicks off the quarter final on Thursday with a singles rubber that he simply has to win.
That is because the second singles will be contested by the world No 1, currently almost unbeatable, who will be massive favourite against Cam Norrie. GB will be seeking to force a deciding doubles, in which Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury will try and face down Djokovic in a form of the game he rarely plays.
Djokovic currently dominates everything in tennis, and was duly the centre of attention on Wednesday at the 11,000 seat Palacio de Deportes, just as he is most weeks of the year.
Yet Draper could claim to be the key player as he tackles the Serbian No 2, which is likely – although not certain – to be the experienced Laslo Djere, world No 33.
Jack Draper has enjoyed a strong finish to season which has boosted his world ranking to 60
This has been a year spent largely in the shadows for Draper, one of three lefthanders on the British team in the absence of the injured Andy Murray and Dan Evans.
A series of injuries has reduced his participation but, finally getting a clean bill of health, he has enjoyed a strong finish to the season which has boosted his ranking to 60 and reminded people of his rich potential.
‘Whoever I play it’s going to be a challenge, but I do think being a lefty is an advantage,’ said Draper, flanked by fellow southpaws Norrie and Liam Broady.
DAVIS CUP
GB v Serbia – 3pm UK time
(BBC iPlayer/website)
Probable:
Jack Draper v Laslo Djere
Cam Norrie v Novak Djokovic
Neal Skupski/Joe Salisbury v Djokovic/Miomir Kecmanovic
If the doubles is still alive there will be the fascinating prospect of Skupski and Salisbury, two of the world’s leading specialists, taking on Djokovic and Miomir Kecmanovic.
The GOAT has only played four doubles matches this season and lost three of them, but he retains an aura. Also Skupski and Salisbury are an unproven partnership, only having played together five times.
As Salisbury, fresh from winning the ATP Finals in Turin, warned: ‘Novak doesn’t play much doubles, but he’s still the best player ever to have held a tennis racket.’
Skupski outlined that it will be different from usual opposition on the two-man circuit, should the match boil down to it: ‘We train at doubles day in, day out. So we’re quicker around the net than the singles guys. But they hit the ball a lot better than us from the back, the returns especially. We’re just going to have to try and play on our terms, take time away from them. Me and Joe have played together before in the past. I think we play at a very good level.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic was the centre of attention in Malaga on Wednesday
Should GB come through they will play the semi-final on Saturday, with a place in Sunday’s final the prize.
The current format of the sport’s premier team event – widely viewed as unsatisfactory – saw them begin their campaign on the highest courts in professional tennis back in February, when they beat Colombia.
They made the final eight by the slimmest of margins, dramatically beating France in the last match of September’s qualifying group stage with Skupski and Evans winning a sudden death doubles tiebreak.
Taking on Djokovic could be their final act of the season, or the gateway to unlikely glory.
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