Dan Evans crashes to a first-round Davis Cup defeat in Colombia

Team Great Britain struggles in the extreme altitude conditions at the Davis Cup in Colombia as Dan Evans crashes to a first-round defeat before Cam Norrie sees off Nicholas Barrientos to level things up for the visitors

• Great Britain’s Davis Cup team have struggled with playing conditions in Bogota
• Team GB are currently trying to force their way through the qualifying rounds
• Dan Evan lost his first-round encounter against world No.253 Nicolas Meija

Fears that Great Britain’s Davis Cup team could struggle in alien conditions materialised last night as Dan Evans went down to an early defeat in their 2023 first round tie against Colombia.

Playing at extreme altitude in Bogota, and using depressurised balls, the British number two went down 6-2 2-6 6-4 to the home side’s Nicholas Mejia, but Cam Norrie levelled the tie to leave it at 1-1 after the first day.

Norrie defeated Nicholas Barrientos, more known for his doubles and the world number 510 in singles, 6-2 7-5 with the huge gulf in their ranking barely evident in the second set.

Earlier on the clay courts of the Pueblo Viejo Country Club, which stand at more than 2,500 metres high, Evans struggled with his ballstriking against someone ranked more than 200 places below him.

His forehand proved especially difficult to control in the thin air, and Mejia – who plays a lot on clay – managed to make up the difference in class, cheered on by a partisan crowd who he continually responded to with waves of his racket.

Dan Evans crashed to a first-round defeat at Team Great Britain’s Davis Cup event in Bogota

Evans (right) appeared to struggle in the hostile conditions more than his Colombian opponent

Smith handed responsibility to Evans, who had been critical of some selections of in last year’s group stage eliminators for the World Group. This time the question is whether Jack Draper’s greater artillery would have served the team better.

Mejia served well in the first set with the world number 30 struggling to settle. Evans was more assured in the second set as his opponent won fewer points with his serve, and then the British player had three break points at the start of the decider to drive on with the momentum.

Nicolas Mejia of Colombia celebrates his victory over Evans on Friday evening

Team GB’s Cam Norrie levelled the tie between the two nations with his victory over Nicholas Barrientos

These were saved, and in the closing stages Mejia looked more dangerous as the experienced Evans miscued forehands in the thin air and also double faulted at crucial times.

With three points available tomorrow, and the Colombians having a strong doubles team, the pathway to progressing into the World Group eliminators was still looking perilous.

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