Davis Cup finals 2021: Great Britain 'bouncing' for Germany quarter-final, says captain Leon Smith
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Updated 29/11/2021 at 22:15 GMT
Great Britain face Germany in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup on Tuesday, with the winner heading to Madrid at the weekend. Great Britain beat Germany at the same stage in 2019 and captain Leon Smith is expecting a tough test in Innsbruck. Stream the 2021 Davis Cup finals live and on demand on discovery+
Highlights: Salisbury and Skupski win doubles decider to send Britain through
Leon Smith says Great Britain will be “bouncing" for their Davis Cup quarter-final clash against Germany on Tuesday.
Great Britain reached the last eight after beating Czech Republic 2-1 in their final round-robin match to top Group C.
They will stay in Innsbruck to play Germany with the winner of the tie facing Russian Tennis Federation or Sweden in the semi-finals in Madrid on Saturday. The final also takes place in the Spanish capital on Sunday.
“It'll be a tough match but we will also be a tough match for them," said Smith, who led Great Britain to victory over Germany in the 2019 quarter-finals and lifted the trophy in 2015.
“We've got a really good team and taken a lot from the last couple of days. It has been a tough couple of days but the guys have stepped up to the plate brilliantly.
"We will go in bouncing and in good form, ready for that."
Joe Salisbury said it was “very special” to secure his maiden Davis Cup win for Great Britain and secure their progress to the quarter-finals.
Having lost on his debut against France on Saturday, Salisbury teamed up with Neal Skupski 24 hours later to win the deciding rubber against the Czech Republic.
Dan Evans lost the first singles match against youngster Tomas Machac before Cameron Norrie levelled the tie with a three-set win over Jiri Lehecka.
“It’s very special,” said Salisbury about securing his first win.
“The atmosphere was amazing, even though there were no fans the support team have been amazing. Playing for your country and getting the win is really special and we’re very happy.”
Salisbury is ranked No 3 in the world in doubles and reached the final of the ATP Finals in Turin before joining up with Great Britain in Innsbruck.
“It's definitely different and I felt it on Sunday,” he said. “Going into the match, I think it helped a lot having the experience, even from yesterday, because it is a very new thing playing for your country and my first time playing Davis Cup tennis.
“This is obviously different for everyone, it's strange having an empty stadium but then a very loud bench, which is great. You feel all the support from the rest of the team.
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Highlights: Norrie sparks GB comeback against Czech Republic
“I didn't play my best yesterday but I think we learnt some stuff from that. Knowing we had to win, I think that helped us, fired us up, helped us produce a really good performance.”
The full draw for the quarter-finals is: Russian Tennis Federation vs Sweden, Great Britain vs Germany, Italy vs Croatia, Kazakhstan vs Serbia.
Three-time winners Germany won both of their group matches against Novak Djokovic’s Serbia and Austria to finish top of Group F. They are without world No 3 Alexander Zverev and will be led in the singles by world No 51 Jan-Lennard Struff and world No 54 Dominik Koepfer.
“I am very proud,” said Germany captain Michael Kohlmann after seeing his team reach the last eight.
“It wasn’t easy to come out after our big win on Saturday against one of the greatest players in the world and in the history of tennis, and that is in your head.
“We were also favourites, so that makes it more difficult. Jurij [Rodionov] played a really good match to put Austria 1-0 up, but how we handled that, it showed what kind of team we are. We stick together whether it is running good, or whether it is running bad.
“Sticking together gave us a chance to come back and that makes me really proud. Now we have our chance to get revenge against Great Britain after losing to them in the quarter-finals two years ago.”
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Stream the 2021 Davis Cup finals live and on demand on discovery+
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