No one can blame Rusedski for the failings of British tennis or the drop down to the Euro/Africa group, along with Germany who lost to Belarus. It will take until 2005 for Britain to get the chance to rejoin the 16-strong World Group and by then Rusedski may have quit the sport. Rusedski said: "This match was decided by just one or two points and I am so tired." Henman may be the British team player-captain at that point and current captain Roger Taylor could be relieved of his duties in the aftermath of this loss.
That would be hard on Taylor who had to try and get the best out of Henman and Rusedski over what turned out to be four days of tennis in the Casablanca heat because the British tennis system had not given him any other players ready for this level of competition. Taylor said: "Greg gave everything he had in this match."
British tennis chiefs were courtside in Casablanca to witness Rusedski's desperate attempt to keep his adopted country in the elite of Cup tennis. It looked good midway through the fourth set as Arazi suffered from terrible nerves and was in danger of trailing 2-5. However, he found just enough guile to save four break points and the match turned in his favour.
Meanwhile, US Open champion Andy Roddick was handed a £24,000 fine by the ATP after he withdrew from the Thailand Open today with a right hamstring injury.
