Great Britain's makeshift Davis Cup team fails to beat Japan as relegation play-off looms

Great Britain will face a relegation play-off in the Davis Cup after their makeshift team failed to make the cut and were beaten 3-2 by Japan. While Jacob Fearnley gave the side hope, this was quickly extinguished as a poor end to Saturday saw them slump out.

Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury won Saturday's opening rubber 7-6(4), 7-6(3) against Yosuke Watanuki and Takeru Yuzuki. But neither Fearnley or Billy Harris could pick up the one singles victory Britain needed to reach the second round of qualifiers.

Fearnley who was in his first Davis Cup tie was beaten by Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6 with the Brit only sitting 10 places below him in the rankings. But this perhaps gave Great Britain the hammer blow as Harris needed to then defeat Kei Nishikori.

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The former US Open finalist eased to a 6-2, 6-3 victory in Miki which sees them ease through to the next round in September. While for Great Britain, they need to win a tie in September to even keep their place in the top tier next season.

Perhaps they weren't helped either by both Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie deciding not to play leaving Fearnley who is Great Britain's next hope but very much still on the rise over the finish article to anchor the side alongside Harris who similarly is on the rise but both perhaps aren't at the Nishioka/Nishikori level yet.

While perhaps Draper or Norrie could've carried them over the line in this instance. They join by Norway and also Denmark in having issues as top nations against lesser lights. As ever the Davis Cup throws up shock results and Great Britain like Norway now have to fight for their place.

In the first full year post Andy Murray, it certainly doesn't get any easier for Great Britain at the Davis Cup.

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