Davis Cup: 'One of the best debuts' - Leon Smith praises 'immense' Billy Harris for big win on Great Britain bow - Eurosport

Released on December 9, 2024, at 07:38 GMT.

"Billy Harris Shines With Win Over Virtanen"

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Harris drove a transit van across Europe between competitions and finally achieved his first ATP Tour victory in November 2023 at the age of 28.

However, he secured a spot on Smith's Davis Cup team after reaching the quarter-finals at Queen's and the semi-finals in Eastbourne this summer. He justified his selection by defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 7-6(7) in Manchester during his debut match.

Harris' victory marked a successful start for Britain, following Dan Evans' win against Eero Vasa with a score of 7-6(7), 6-2 in the first singles match, as US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper took a break.

"I'm really excited for Billy – I believe that's one of the best debut performances you'll ever witness. It was that impressive," Smith stated.

If you examine Otto's performance in the Davis Cup over the last few years, you'll see that it's been nearly perfect.

"Billy had the potential to secure a win more easily – he played incredibly well. He remains composed and focused, even though he's not had much experience on a big stage before."

Harris found himself in disbelief once more after achieving yet another significant milestone that highlighted his impressive resurgence in the latter stage of his career.

When asked about the significance of the victory, he replied, “I believe that starting my journey with Great Britain and achieving victory in my first match is probably the highlight of my experiences so far.”

"Three years back, I was likely sitting around the 600 mark, making it unlikely for me to join the team. However, I've made steady progress each year and now feel prepared to join the team now that I've received the call."

The only downside for Smith was that his team couldn't finish strong, as Evans and Neal Skupski lost in straight sets to Harri Heliovaara and Virtanen in the final doubles match.

"It's frustrating because it’s a long day, and last year at this same event, not securing that 3-0 on the opening day nearly cost us," Smith mentioned.

"Overall, it’s a good day. Given that you’re missing your top two ranked players, Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie, managing to secure a 2-1 victory in the tie is definitely something to celebrate."

This victory puts Britain in a strong spot in Group D, where they will compete against Argentina and Canada in the four-team round-robin stage. Their goal is to secure a top-two finish and earn a spot in the Davis Cup Finals.

The British team will play against Argentina next Friday, after Argentina lost their opening match 2-1 to Canada. Following that, the Brits will take on Canada on Sunday. Both games will be held in Manchester, so they’ll be playing on home turf.

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