Davis Cup Qualifiers 2025: GB squad announced to face Japan including Fearnley, Harris, Choinski, Skupski & Salisbury
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The Lexus Great Britain Davis Cup squad has been announced for the first round qualifier against Japan from 31 January – 1 February.
GB Davis Cup Captain and Head of Men’s Tennis at the LTA, Leon Smith, has selected a new-look team – British rising star Jacob Fearnley, Billy Harris and a late call-up for Giles Hussey.
Lexus Great Britain Davis Cup squad to face Japan:
- Jacob Fearnley (world No.77)
- Billy Harris (world No.128)
- Giles Hussey (world No.388)
- Neal Skupski (doubles - world No.16)
- Joe Salisbury (doubles - world No.43)
British No.1 Jack Draper recently announced that he would be unable to play the tie to support his recovery from a hip injury and Cam Norrie has withdrawn from the team.
Jan Choinski has also been forced to withdraw from the team in Japan due to illness.
The Brits will need to beat Japan in a best of five rubber tie away at the Bourbon Beans Dome, Miki, to reach the second round of qualifying in September – where they would face either Germany or Israel for a place in the Finals.
Find out more about the Lexus GB Davis Cup team:
Jacob Fearnley
- Age: 23
- Ranking: 77
- Davis Cup ties played: N/A
- Davis Cup record: N/A
Arguably one of the form British players from the 2024 season, Fearnley is set to join up with Leon Smith’s side for the first time in Japan. The Texas Christian University graduate started his season in the summer by winning his first ATP Challenger title in only his first event at the Rothesay Open Nottingham.
From there he’s only gone from strength-to-strength – winning a total of four Challenger singles titles in a year, becoming only the second Brit to ever do so after Jack Draper in 2022.
He got his first Grand Slam win at Wimbledon over the summer, before taking a set off seven-time champion Novak Djokovic on his Centre Court debut. Is results have seen him break into the ATP top 100 for the first time in his career.
In his first appearance at the Australian Open this year, Fearnley beat Nick Kyrgios and Arthur Cazaux to make the third round.
Find out more about Jacob Fearnley
Billy Harris
- Age: 29
- Ranking: 128
- Davis Cup ties played: 1
- Davis Cup record: 1-0
Harris made his Davis Cup debut in Manchester this year – beating Otto Virtanen in straight sets as the Brits marched on to claim victory over Finland.
The appearance was reward for a standout season on tour, full of many firsts for the 29-year-old. He had a fantastic season on the grass this year, reaching the semi-finals at the Rothesay Open Nottingham, before making the quarter-finals at the cinch Championships and another semi-final at the Rothesay International Eastbourne – his first tour events on the surface.
His momentum continued on to the second half of the season as well – qualifying for his maiden ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai and making the main draw in tour events in Newport and Atlanta. Harris was also part of the GB team that made the United Cup quarter-finals this month.
Find out more about Billy Harris
Neal Skuspki
- Age: 35
- Ranking: 16 (doubles)
- Davis Cup ties played: 14
- Davis Cup record: 9-5
Skupski Comes in as the most experienced member of the Davis Cup team having played 14 times since his debut in 2019.
The 35-year-old Briton knows what it takes to play in and win big pressure Davis Cup rubbers – a highlight being his deciding doubles victory with Dan Evans against France in 2023 to see the team through to the Final 8 in Malaga.
The former world No.1 and Wimbledon champion finished the 2024 season with two titles – both coming on home soil at the cinch Championships and Rothesay International Eastbourne. He finished the season on a high with New Zealand partner Michael Venus with a final in Vienna and semi-final at the ATP Masters 1000 in Paris.
Find out more about Neal Skupski
Joe Salisbury
- Age: 32
- Ranking: 43 (doubles)
- Davis Cup ties played: 6
- Davis Cup record: 2-4
Salisbury – like Skupski – brings Grand Slam winning experience to the Lexus GB Davis Cup team, with four major men’s doubles titles. That’s the most of any British player in the Open Era.
At the end of 2024, Salisbury brought an end to his long-standing partnership with American Rajeev Ram and this season has been teaming up with Skupski.
The two former world No.1s have won two ATP titles together previously in Vienna (2018) and San Diego (2021), however this is the first time they’ve begun a season as an established pair.
So far, they have made the second round both in Adelaide and at the Australian Open but the experience playing together early in the season could be an important factor for the Brits.
Find out more about Joe Salisbury
Giles Hussey
- Age: 27
- Ranking: 388
- Davis Cup ties played: 0
- Davis Cup record: N/A
Hussey is a late call-up to the team after Jan Choinski was forced to withdraw from the squad whilst in Japan due to illness.
Hussey has won six ITF singles titles in his career, including three last year during his best season to date. He also recently made the doubles final at the Lexus GB Pro Series in Sunderland just a week ago.
Th 27-year-old also enjoyed his best career performance at the Rothesay International Eastbourne last year – coming through qualifying to then win his first ATP match against now world No.49 Mariano Navone.
