Jack Draper secured a decisive win in his much-anticipated comeback from injury, putting Great Britain ahead 1-0 against Norway in the Davis Cup qualifiers.
The top-ranked British player, Draper, had been out of action for five months due to a bone bruise in his serving arm.
The injury caused his return to be postponed on two occasions, leading him to sit out the Australian Open in January to fully heal.
Nevertheless, he demonstrated strong serves, agile movement, and powerful shot-making to defeat Viktor Durasovic with scores of 6-2, 6-2 in his initial match after 164 days away from competition.
More challenging opponents are expected for Draper, currently ranked 13th globally and 300 spots higher than Durasovic, yet he will surely feel a sense of relief having achieved a definitive victory following an extended period of absence.
“Despite the challenging period, I understood the necessity of continuing my training and gaining self-knowledge,” stated the 24-year-old.
Later on Thursday, Cameron Norrie is scheduled to compete against Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in the five-match series.
Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash are set to play doubles together on Friday, followed by two additional singles encounters should the outcome of the tie remain undetermined.
The victor of this matchup in Oslo will then play against either Australia or Ecuador to secure a spot in the eight-nation Finals taking place in November.
