Smith left to rue lack of GB depth in Rouen
AS Great Britain’s hopes in the Davis Cup quarterfinal in Rouen ended in ruins, team captain Leon Smith admitted the pool of talent that helped France to victory shows no sign of being replicated in his ranks.
Victory for Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut in the doubles added to singles wins for Lucas Pouille and Jeremy Chardy, but the rules required the dead rubbers to be played yesterday.
Dan Evans defeated Benneteau 6-1 6-2 before a 6-4 6-4 win for Chardy over Kyle Edmund made the final score 4-1 to France.
But the contest that was never serious at any stage saw Evans taking on Benneteau, Nicolas Mahut and French captain Yannick Noah.
Benneteau, a substitute for Pouille, is better known these days as a doubles player and at No.113 in the world in singles is only the French No.13. Chardy, ranked No.68 and a surprise pick for the tie, is the French No.9. Such depth is something GB captain Smith can only dream of and this tie exposed the fact that resources below Andy Murray remain thin at the top level.
Smith said: “The big difference in our nation compared to the big hitters is someone like France who have 19 in the top 200,” said Smith.
“We’ve got four in the top 100 and then that’s it.
“This is a great team but it would be nice to have players who are joining these guys on tour, sitting around 75, even 125, 150.
“It just means you’ve got more of a conveyor belt coming through. Do I think it’s round the corner? Maybe with a couple of them but there’s certainly not a conveyor belt.”
Below Murray, Evans, Edmund and Aljaz Bedene, the next highest ranked British man is Cameron Norrie, who has travelled to the last two ties as a hitting partner, at world No.237.
Smith must have wished he could have called on Bedene, who remains ineligible after his latest appeal was turned down in March.
The Slovenian-born world No.93 cannot play for Britain because he previously played three dead rubbers for his native country.
And Smith revealed the Lawn Tennis Association was willing to continue the battle, saying: “We accept the decision that was made and respect the fact we were given a chance to be heard again but it’s not stopped there.”