Dan Evans was Great Britain’s hero with singles and doubles victories in a dramatic winner-takes-all Davis Cup tussle against France in Manchester.
Evans recovered from a set and a break down to defeat teenage debutant Arthur Fils and then, after Cameron Norrie had lost a close battle against Ugo Humbert, teamed up with Neal Skupski for a hugely tense 1-6 7-6 (4) 7-6 (6) victory over Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
The British pair saved four match points in the deciding set before clinching their second match point in the tie-break, sparking scenes of huge jubilation.
The 2-1 win earned Britain top spot in their group and booked their place in November’s final eight week in Malaga, where a quarter-final against either Italy or Novak Djokovic’s Serbia awaits.
A sell-out crowd of 13,000 at the AO Arena, a single-day record for the competition in Britain, also played its part as Leon Smith’s side completed an unbeaten week after earlier successes against Australia and Switzerland.
“About 6-1 in the first set I thought he’d picked the wrong team,” said Evans.
“Thanks to every single one of you. It turned into pandemonium.
“Some embarrassing stuff probably out there but we’re going to Malaga so it doesn’t matter.”
“It was bonkers,” said Smith. “I don’t know what I’ve just sat through for nine hours.”
There was nothing to choose between the teams from the start, with Evans digging very deep to claim a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Fils.
Fils is the highest-ranked teenager in the world at 44 and the most exciting of a crop of young French players.
It was immediately clear this was not a comfortable match-up for the 5ft 9in Evans, who struggles to impose his finesse-based game against power hitters, and he was in deep trouble when he was broken for a second successive game at the start of the second set.
Fils played a poor game serving at 3-2 to allow Evans back into the contest and from there a combination of the crowd, smart play by the British number two and his opponent’s inexperience turned things around.
Evans had to come through a tense final game, leaping and punching the air before expressing annoyance at his opponent for a very perfunctory handshake.
Evans’ victory gave Norrie the chance to clinch the tie, with Smith keeping faith with his number one despite his disappointing last few months and a loss to Stan Wawrinka on Friday.
Norrie saved a set point to force a tie-break in the first set against his fellow left-hander Humbert but blazed a backhand wide after fighting back from 2-6 to 5-6.
Norrie, ranked 19 places higher at 17 in the world, turned things around with some gritty play in the second set and for much of the decider looked the better player but he double-faulted to hand a 7-6 (5) 3-6 7-5 victory to his delighted opponent.
Evans had talked about the influence watching Davis Cup matches in Birmingham as a boy had had on him, saying: “For me, that was the be all and end all, was to play Davis Cup for your country, and it still is.”
This was now his chance to earn the crucial point as he returned to the court alongside Skupski.
Roger-Vasselin and Mahut have a combined age of 80 but also a wealth of experience at the very top of the doubles game and they seized control from the start.
Evans and Skupski got into the contest in the second set and urged the crowd to up the noise levels but they were unable to apply any real pressure to their opponents’ serve.
They played a superb tie-break, though, finding their rhythm on return and ensuring the tie would go all the way to the final set.
The British pair were now hugely fired up and there was more tension between Evans and Fils, sat courtside, in the early stages of the decider as the hosts pushed for a break.
It appeared all over when a double fault saw Evans trail 0-40 in the 10th game but he stood firm to save all three match points, and Skupski sent down an ace to save a fourth two games later.
They trailed 4-2 in the deciding tie-break as well but their fightback was not finished.
Raducanu breezes into second round at Eastbourne
Emma Raducanu is through to the second round at Eastbourne after a commanding straight-sets victory over Sloane Stephens on Tuesday.
Despite an early scare, Raducanu cruised through, winning 6-4 6-0 in just one hour 17 minutes.
Raducanu and Stephens traded blows early on in the first set, with both getting double breaks to stay neck-and-neck before the Briton edged it in the final game by breaking the American's serve once more.
She then brushed Stephens aside in just 25 minutes for the second without dropping a single game, to set up a meeting with Jessica Pegula in the next round.
Data Debrief: Raducanu in control
Raducanu finished off the match in style, winning the last nine games in a row, and broke Sloane's serve six times.
The 21-year-old finished with 23 winners to just 13 unforced errors to tee up a marquee match-up in the second round.
Djokovic will only play Wimbledon if title in reach after surgery
Novak Djokovic will only play at Wimbledon if he feels he has a chance of winning the tournament, with a decision on his involvement to be made before Friday's draw.
Djokovic tore the medial meniscus in his right knee at the French Open earlier this month, withdrawing ahead of a scheduled quarter-final against Casper Ruud.
He underwent surgery on the injury less than three weeks ago but still travelled to SW19 on Monday and was seen out on the practice courts.
However, the Serbian will only participate if he feels he has a realistic chance of an eighth Wimbledon crown, which would equal Roger Federer's all-time record.
"I didn't come here to play a few rounds," Djokovic told BBC Sport. "You can never know 100% what is going to happen at a tournament, but I'm going to make a decision based on the feeling that I have.
"If I know I can play close to my maximum or at maximum, then I'll play. If not, then I'll give somebody else a chance to play."
Asked if his maximum meant a title push, Djokovic replied: "That's why I'm here.
"I don't plan to retire or for this to be my last Wimbledon. The injury happened at an unfortunate moment but it's part of the sport."
Having gone through a two-hour session with bandaging on his affected knee on Monday, Djokovic added his recovery is going well and said he will give himself as much time as possible to make a decision.
"It's been going well. Rehab is going in the right direction every single day, a few per cent better and better. That's what's giving me hope and encouragement," he said.
"I still have a week left, which is plenty of time. I'm going to give my best to have a clear understanding of where I am before the draw is made, and we'll take it from there.
"I'm taking things gradually. I'm not pushing myself 100% yet but I'm hoping that's going to come in the next few days."
Raducanu 'grateful' and 'excited' having 'rekindled the love for tennis'
Emma Raducanu is thrilled to have "rekindled" her love for tennis, with the former US Open champion admitting she is "in a lot better spirits on and off the court".
The world number 168, who had not played since the Madrid Open in April, marked her return from injury with a run to the Nottingham Open semi-finals just over a week ago.
Last year, Raducanu underwent wrist and ankle surgery that, at one point, confined her to a mobility scooter, but she has prioritised fitness over competition during the 2024 season.
Having missed the French Open to focus on preparing for the grass-court season, she has also opted not to participate for Great Britain in the forthcoming Olympics.
The 21-year-old is now stepping up her preparations for Wimbledon, which continue when she faces Sloane Stephens in Eastbourne on Tuesday.
And Raducanu will enter the contest against her fellow former Flushing Meadows champion with a real spring in her step.
"I really feel like I'm in a lot better spirits on and off the court," she told BBC TV. "It's a nice feeling for me because it hasn't always been the case.
"I'm very happy to have rekindled the love for tennis and just enjoying the challenges that come with it and not getting so down about it, just trying a way to go around.
"I'm just really grateful to have this feeling again because it's something that I feel like I've been missing in a way for the last few years.
"I haven't felt this good about my tennis and excited about it and passionate for a long, long time."
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