Davis Cup: GB trail Russia

Great Britain’s Davis Cup team suffered fifth-set heartbreak twice over to trail Russia 2-0 at the end of the first day’s play at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.

Leon Smith’s side went into the Europe/Africa Zone Group I tie as massive underdogs but almost made the perfect start as Dan Evans pushed world No 67 Dmitry Tursunov all the way before going down 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

James Ward, British No 1 in the absence of Andy Murray, then looked like he would level the tie when he led by two sets to love against Evgeny Donskoy – but the Russian fought back to win 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 8-6.

World No 80 Donskoy was making his Davis Cup debut and made a slow start as Ward broke in the first game. Donskoy briefly had parity at 4-4 when Ward double-faulted on break point but he hit back straight away and clinched the set. Things got even better for the British player, ranked 214, at the start of the second set with another break, and so impressive was his serving that Donskoy was struggling to get a look in.

Ward wobbled slightly serving for the set but showed a deft touch at the net to save a break point and win the game thanks to another Donskoy error.

The Russian’s position became even more dire when he was broken in the first game of a set. However, he at last put together a series of good points to level at 2-2 and gradually cut out the unforced errors.

The pressure was building on Ward and in the 12th game he was unable to save a fourth set point. Donskoy was a different player now and he broke through again early in the fourth set. The decider appeared to be heading only one way but Ward dug in admirably, surviving two break points to lead 4-3.

At 15-30 on the Donskoy serve leading 5-4, Ward was two points away from victory, but the Russian survived and gained the crucial break to lead 7-6. Ward had one chance to break back but missed a backhand and sobbed into his towel after Donskoy clinched victory after three hours and 45 minutes.

Earlier, Evans pushed a player ranked 258 places higher than him to five sets in four minutes short of four hours. He twice fought back from a set down, playing a superb point to win the second-set tie-break and then withstanding huge pressure from Tursunov to force a decider, where the Russian’s big serve helped him come through.

World No 325 Evans was not even picked in captain Leon Smith’s original team before he had a late change of heart and dropped Jamie Baker.