GB lead Ecuador 2-0 in Davis Cup qualifier after Samuel and Fery wins in London

Great Britain moved 2-0 ahead of Ecuador in their Davis Cup qualifier at the Copper Box Arena in London on 19 September 2026 after Arthur Fery defeated Álvaro Guillén Meza 7-5, 6-0 and Toby Samuel beat Andrés Andrade 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Fery returned to competition on home soil for the first time since his run at Wimbledon, playing on a different surface, in a different format and on the opposite side of London. Cameron Norrie withdrew late through injury, prompting Toby Samuel to be a late replacement and creating a completely new Great Britain singles lineup witnessed by a packed and forceful British crowd. Fery is the British No 1 and a Wimbledon semi-finalist; Fery’s singles victory in Poland last September was the only Davis Cup match he or Samuel had played prior to this tie. The Ecuador side arrived without a player ranked inside the top 200.

Samuel, making his Davis Cup debut after the late call-up, began nervously and lost the first four games of his match against Ecuador’s No 1, Andrés Andrade. As he settled, Samuel used a big serve and forehand to take control, winning 10 of the final 11 games from 4-4 in the second set. His path to this tie has been rapid: last February he was ranked outside the top 1600 and as recently as November he was competing on the World Tennis (formerly ITF) Tour. Over the past year Samuel won nine titles across all levels, including five ATP Challenger titles, and by qualifying and winning a round at the US Open he broke into the top 100 this week, reaching a career-high ranking of No 95 and earning his first Davis Cup call-up.

Álvaro Guillén Meza, the 23-year-old Fery opponent, entered the tie ranked No 293 and had been as high as 175 last year. He has rarely played on hard courts since turning pro in 2018 and compiled a 1-9 pro record on hard courts at all levels. Guillén Meza remained steady in the opening set as Fery struggled with his forehand and showed frustration, but at 5-5, 0-30 Fery ground through a long point, held serve and then broke to take the set; Fery then won the final eight games to record his first ever Davis Cup win as the number one ranked player in Britain.

Ecuador reached this stage after a 3-1 victory over Australia in Quito on clay in February, winning all three live rubbers in that tie. The South American side’s success in Quito contrasts with this tie’s indoor hard courts in east London, presenting a markedly different challenge.

With the 2-0 lead from the opening day, Great Britain require one more win to reach the Davis Cup Final 8; the decisive knockout stage is scheduled to take place in Bologna between 18 and 23 November.