Davis Cup a bonus for Edmund & Evans – Smith

Posted: Sep 19, 2016

Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith wants Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund to produce consistent results on tour, saying the team event is “a bonus”.

Evans, 26, and 21-year-old Edmund were part of the team whose title defence was ended by a 3-2 defeat by Argentina in Glasgow at the weekend.

“The most important thing for Dan, Kyle and the others is doing a great job week in, week out,” said Smith.

“Davis Cup is just two, three – in a great year, four – times a year.”

Edmund and Evans have both reached career-high rankings this month after promising performances at the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.

Edmund, ranked 54th in the world, beat top-25 players Richard Gasquet and John Isner as he reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

World number 56 Evans is yet to go beyond the third round of a major but held match point against eventual champion Stan Wawrinka at that stage before losing in four sets.

But both players lost singles matches in the weekend Davis Cup tie – Edmund to Guido Pella on day one, and Evans the deciding rubber to Leonardo Mayer.

“The Davis Cup was such a big thing for them but now week in, week out is the most important thing,” said Smith. “The Davis Cup is a bonus.”

Having lost to Juan Martin del Potro as Britain fell 2-0 behind on Friday, world number two Andy Murray teamed up with brother Jamie to win the doubles and then beat Pella in the first of the reverse singles.

But, despite taking the first set against Mayer, Evans could not complete the comeback.

Smith said: “We’ll get together in Davis Cup weeks and give it a damn good go but most important is to see Dan and Kyle joining Andy and Jamie in playing tour tennis, playing Masters series events, going deep in slams.

“This is much better and we’ve just got to try and keep continuing that momentum.”