Victory for GB team
Reid’s straight sets win paves way for GB to triumph at World Team Cup
GORDON REID played a key role as Great Britain clinched their second successive BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Turkey on Sunday.
The former Hermitage Academy pupil secured a 6-3, 6-4 win over Daniel Carverzaschi to set the Lexus GB World Team Cup men’s team on their way in the final against Spain in Antalya.
Reid had never dropped more than three games to Caverzaschi in six previous matches against the Spaniard and, despite a tough assignment in their latest encounter, Reid crucially converted a third break point to establish a 5-3 first set lead and fought back from 4-3 down in the second set to prevail after an hour and 36 minutes.
That set up word number one Alfie Hewett to launch a stirring comeback as he defeated Martin de la Puente 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to give both players their second World Team Cup title in Antalya, where Hewett and Reid also won both singles matches in their 2-0 victory over France in the 2015 final.
After looking out of sorts in the early stages of his match, Hewett earned the only service hold of the second set to level the contest and completed a memorable victory having won eight of the last nine games.
The Helensburgh hero said: “It was an awesome week. To retain the title is a great feeling. We had Dahnon there for the first time in the men’s team and had a really good squad. On and off the court we really got on well as a team and that helped the resilience and the performances.
“There are a lot of big events for us on clay this year – more than usual – and obviously ending with the Paralympics in September at Roland Garros, so it’s good to get a little more used to the surface and to keep winning to boost the confidence.
“Hopefully it’s the start of more great things to come this summer.”
It was a successful defence of the title for the team who had beaten the Netherlands in the 2023 final, when Ben Bartram was also part of the Great Britain team. While this year’s title was a second for Bartram, it was a first for British No.4 Dahnon Ward, who joined Hewett, Reid and Bartram
in registering singles wins earlier in the week.
Hewett, who was part of the Great Britain junior team that won the World Team Cup junior title in Antalya back in 2013, said: “Obviously we are delighted to get a fourth World Team Cup trophy. Playing for your country is a big deal and it’s one of the standout events in the year.
“To get another win is a great feeling and it’s been a really good team atmosphere. Ben and Dahnon played their parts and today me and Gordon were able to bring home the title.
“I struggled with a little bit of intensity and energy in the first set but what I did really well was keeping in there and taking my opportunities.”
Great Britain’s women’s team sealed fifth place after beating Colombia 2-1 on Saturday evening, while the quad team finished in sixth place, as did the Great Britain junior team following a narrow 2-1 loss to Belgium on the last day of competition.