Draper set to return from injury for GB in Davis Cup

Jack Draper is set to return to action after over five months out with injury in Great Britain's Davis Cup tie against Norway in February.

The British number one had hoped to play at this month's Australian Open but withdrew on Boxing Day because of his ongoing arm injury.

Currently ranked 10 in the world, Draper has played only one singles match since Wimbledon.

Great Britain captain Leon Smith said the left-hander's inclusion enables him to name his "strongest team" for the qualifier, which will be played in Oslo on 5 and 6 February.

Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash are also in the squad, while Norway will be led by world number 12 and three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud.

The winner will face either Australia or Ecuador in the competition's second qualifying round in September.

In a post on X late last month,, external Draper described the injury as one of the most "challenging" and "complex" of his career.

He said the decision not to compete in the Australian Open, which begins on 18 January, had been "really, really tough".

Draper struggled with discomfort in the top part of his serving arm - his left - for several months, eventually shutting down his season after withdrawing from the US Open in August.

It came after a successful first part of the year, with Draper reaching a career-high of fourth in the world in June and also securing a maiden Masters 1000 title with victory at Indian Wells in March.

Smith is allowed to make three changes to his team up until the eve of the tie, and so has nothing to lose by naming Draper at this stage.

Draper said in his video on 26 December that he is at the "very, very end stages of the [recovery] process" and the hope is that he will finally be ready to go at the start of February.

He would need to play a maximum of two best-of-three set singles in Oslo, with five set tennis not a concern until the French Open begins in late May.

The team - if fit - is a very strong one.

Contrast it with the US team for their away tie on clay in Hungary - captain Bob Bryan has selected Ethan Quinn and Emilio Nava to play singles, even though there are currently 12 American men with a higher ranking.