Arthur Fery helps Great Britain near Davis Cup Finals berth

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 20, 2026

Arthur Fery’s straight-sets win over Ecuador’s Alvaro Guillen Meza gave Great Britain a 2-0 lead in their Davis Cup qualifying tie, putting them one victory away from reaching the Finals for the first time since 2023. With top player Cameron Norrie withdrawn due to injury, the British team relies on the momentum from singles wins and a strong doubles pairing to secure their spot in the November knockout event in Bologna.

Arthur Fery’s victory has brought Great Britain closer to securing a place in the Davis Cup Finals for the first time since 2023. On Sunday at London’s Copper Box Arena, Fery, ranked world No.36, delivered a 7-5, 6-0 win over Ecuador’s Alvaro Guillen Meza to give Team GB a 2-0 lead in their qualifying tie. This followed Toby Samuel’s comeback win against Ecuador’s top singles player, Andres Andrade, with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 on his Davis Cup debut.

The British team now needs just one more match victory on the final day to advance to the Final 8, a week-long knockout event scheduled for November in Bologna, Italy. Fery, 24, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals earlier this summer as a wildcard outside the top 100, described the Davis Cup as a different challenge due to the responsibility of representing a nation. He emphasized the importance of focusing on his own performance to support the team’s success and noted the depth within the British squad.

Samuel, who recently entered the top 100 after qualifying for the US Open and winning his first Grand Slam main draw match, described the nerves he felt before his Davis Cup match as greater than those experienced at any Grand Slam event. The world No.95 overcame a slow start to secure the win, demonstrating resilience and confidence throughout.

Samuel was called up to play singles following the withdrawal of Britain’s top player Cameron Norrie, who pulled out after experiencing arm discomfort. Norrie, ranked No.39 globally, remains with the team to offer support, bringing experience and calm to the group, according to Samuel.

The doubles pairing of world No.1 Henry Patten and recent US Open champion Neal Skupski are expected to face Ecuador’s Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo in the opening rubber on the final day. British captain Leon Smith praised the singles victories by Fery and Samuel, stating they have positioned the team well heading into the decisive matches. Smith also expressed confidence in the experience of the doubles team for handling crucial moments.

Great Britain’s performance in this qualifying round reflects a strong team effort as they aim to return to the Davis Cup Finals stage later this year.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.