Rusedski back in the fold

Greg Rusedski can help Britain's Davis Cup cause

BBC Sport Online's Iain Carter says Greg Rusedski's pledge to play for Britain in the Davis Cup could mark the turning point for a man struggling with his form.

This week's statement from Greg Rusedski that he will be available for Davis Cup was the ideal New Year gift for British tennis.

The timing and the sentiment of the statement was perfect for all concerned, and the only shame is that it was necessary. But that it was, indicates that the 27 year old British number two is becoming an increasingly controversial figure.

Rumours that Rusedski was about to turn his back on the British Davis Cup cause began circulating at the end of last year.

David Lloyd's split with the LTA was acrimonious

The year 2000 had been the worst of his career and ended acrimoniously when the big serving left hander became involved in a row over whether he should have played an exhibition match at the Brighton tournament when Tim Henman's quarter final with Chris Woodruff had been called off.

The event was jointly promoted by the Lawn Tennis Association, and the ensuing controversy did little to help Rusedski's strained relationship with the British governing body.

They have not been on the best of terms since David Lloyd, a close friend of Rusedski, was sacked as Davis Cup captain in February.

Rusedski, apparently angered by assumptions made at the time by certain sections of the British tennis media that he wouldn't play under new captain Roger Taylor, initially refused to confirm his availability in the wake of Lloyd's dismissal.

Eventually Rusedski committed to the cause but was injured in his one rubber in July's defeat to Ecuador.

At the Olympics he then launched and later retracted a scathing attack on the LTA.

Relations 'strained'

It was clear relations continued to be strained when the player's official backing was missing at the November launch of the LTA's latest scheme to promote inner city tennis.

In the background, Lloyd has been continuing to rubbish the LTA's abysmal record for unearthing tennis talent, and by the end of the year I had heard from two separate and well placed sources that Rusedski's Davis Cup commitment was in doubt.

Significantly though, the player had said nothing. He was busily training in Australia. From the tone of his statement this week in which he vehemently attacked those who reported that he might turn his back on Britain, he was hurt by the speculation.

But now he has cleared the air he can concentrate on his main business of restoring himself to the upper echelons of the world rankings. Thankfully if he succeeds it will be not only good news for Rusedski, but also for Britain's hopes of returning to the World Group of the Davis Cup.