Cup woe for under-strength Britain

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:22

Hutchins and local boy Fleming – one of three rookies in John Lloyd’s four-man team – pushed Sergiy Stakhovsky and Sergei Bubka all the way in Saturday’s doubles rubber at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena before going down 6-4 3-6 6-3 5-7 6-4.

That gave their opponents an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Euro/Africa Zone Group One tie ahead of Sunday’s final two singles rubbers.

The defeat proves Britain simply do not possess the strength in depth to cope with the loss of Andy Murray, who withdrew from the tie with a virus.

It also meant they now face another year outside the World Group, having to win at least three matches to get back among the elite.

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