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Page last updated at 10:26 GMT, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:26 UK

GB handed Lithuania Davis Cup tie

Dan Evans and John Lloyd

Highlights - Anguish for GB as Evans loses

Great Britain must travel to Lithuania in their first tie following relegation from Davis Cup Europe/Africa Group One.

The Group Two tie, between two nations who have never played each other, takes place from 5-7 March, with the winners facing either Ireland or Turkey.

The losers will face a relegation play-off to avoid dropping into Group Three.

Defeat by Poland demoted Britain to the third tier of the event for the first time since a two-year spell in the mid 90s and only the second time ever.

Lithuania's best-ranked player is former top junior Ricardas Berankis, who is 432nd in the world.

Britain currently have seven players ranked higher than him.

However, British number one Andy Murray has hinted he may opt out of future Davis Cup ties.

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The world number three indicated after the 3-2 defeat to Poland that it could be time for other players to step up, a sentiment echoed by captain John Lloyd.

Dan Evans was given the second singles spot in Liverpool and, although he failed to win a set, Lloyd sees the 19-year-old as a key part of his squad.

British number two James Ward, who missed out with illness, Josh Goodall, Chris Eaton and doubles specialists Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski are also likely to be in contention.

Lloyd 'realistic' after Davis Cup relegation

Lloyd said: "Playing in Group Two will give some of our younger players the opportunity to perform on the international stage and gain valuable experience at that level.

"They will learn to play in that environment and they will learn to win. The team are now looking forward to moving up the groups."

Other than the 19-year-old Berankis, the world's top junior in 2007, Laurynas Grigelis and Gvidas Sabeckis are also ranked in the top 700, while 17-year-old Dovydas Sakinis is the only other Lithuanian in the ATP rankings.

In 2009, the Baltic nation, with a population of 3.6m, reached the second round of Europe/Africa Group Two for the first time by beating Georgia, before losing to Slovenia.

Prior to 1994, Lithuanian players competed for the USSR.

In the World Group, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could face each other in the first round after Spain were paired with Switzerland.

The world's top two players have never met in the Davis Cup.

"We have to accept how the draw is. We'll try to beat them in Spain," said Switzerland captain Severin Luthi. "For sure that's one of the toughest draws we can have."

Full World Group draw: Spain v Switzerland; Germany v France; Russia v India; Argentina v Sweden; Ecuador v Croatia; Serbia v United States; Chile v Israel; Belgium v Czech Republic.



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see also
GB's trip into the unknown
23 Sep 09 |  Tennis
Injured Murray out of Japan Open
01 Oct 09 |  Tennis
Murray given leeway on Davis Cup
21 Sep 09 |  Tennis
GB relegated after Davis Cup loss
20 Sep 09 |  Tennis


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