Even when players are fully fit, it can be hard for team captains to secure their services, as Davis Cup ties are regularly played the week after a Grand Slam.Andy Murray played sparingly for three years in his early 20s, when GB were outside the World Group, but Smith is optimistic Draper will continue to want to play for the team.“I get the feeling that the players want to be part of this,” he said.”We, at the LTA, and the players here, you can tell they value this, they value coming together.”Our job this weekend is to try and keep in the top group so we can try and win it next year, but there are clearly more conversations that need to be had about the scheduling, to try and get those players that are going deep in the Slams.”If you want them to play, asking them for a few days turnaround – sometimes to travel extremely far or change surfaces – that’s going to be difficult.”So I get the feeling there is a strong appetite to represent your country in Davis Cup, but there is some work to do in the formatting.”A torn bicep and illness has prevented Norrie playing Davis Cup since the 2023 quarter-final with Serbia.The 30-year-old has already played 22 tournaments this year, but says Davis Cup weeks are “very different”.”It’s always one of my favourite weeks, playing for your country,” he said.”It’s such a great group of guys and girls – it’s just exactly what I want to be doing.”It’s a very different week to a week on the tour. It’s almost like another rest – it’s such a precious week.”You could be resting, you could be practising, you could be playing another tournament. But for me I always want to try and prioritise that in my career.”
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Davis Cup: Why Great Britain’s trip to Poland has an FA Cup feel
