Evans recovered from a set and a break all the way down to defeat teenage debutant Arthur Fils after which, after Cameron Norrie had misplaced an in depth battle in opposition to Ugo Humbert, teamed up with Neal Skupski for a massively tense 1-6 7-6 (4) 7-6 (6) victory over Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
The British pair saved 4 match factors within the deciding set earlier than clinching their second match level within the tie-break, sparking scenes of big jubilation.
The two-1 win earned Britain prime spot of their group and booked their place in November’s closing eight week in Malaga, the place a quarter-final in opposition to both Italy or Novak Djokovic’s Serbia awaits.
A sell-out crowd of 13,000 on the AO Enviornment, a single-day report for the competitors in Britain, additionally performed its half as Leon Smith’s aspect accomplished an unbeaten week after earlier successes in opposition to Australia and Switzerland.
“About 6-1 within the first set I believed he’d picked the improper workforce,” mentioned Evans. “Thanks to each single considered one of you. It changed into pandemonium.
“Some embarrassing stuff most likely on the market however we’ll Malaga so it does not matter.”
“It was bonkers,” mentioned Smith. “I do not know what I’ve simply sat by means of for 9 hours.”
There was nothing to decide on between the groups from the beginning, with Evans digging very deep to assert a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Fils.
Fils is the highest-ranked teenager on the earth at 44 and probably the most thrilling of a crop of younger French gamers.
It was instantly clear this was not a cushty match-up for the 5ft 9in Evans, who struggles to impose his finesse-based sport in opposition to energy hitters, and he was in serious trouble when he was damaged for a second successive sport initially of the second set.
Fils performed a poor sport serving at 3-2 to permit Evans again into the competition and from there a mixture of the group, good play by the British quantity two and his opponent’s inexperience turned issues round.
Evans needed to come by means of a tense closing sport, leaping and punching the air earlier than expressing annoyance at his opponent for a really perfunctory handshake.
Evans’ victory gave Norrie the prospect to clinch the tie, with Smith holding religion together with his primary regardless of his disappointing previous few months and a loss to Stan Wawrinka on Friday.
Norrie saved a set level to pressure a tie-break within the first set in opposition to his fellow left-hander Humbert however blazed a backhand large after combating again from 2-6 to 5-6.
Norrie, ranked 19 locations larger at 17 on the earth, turned issues round with some gritty play within the second set and for a lot of the decider seemed the higher participant however he double-faulted at hand a 7-6 (5) 3-6 7-5 victory to his delighted opponent.
Evans had talked in regards to the affect watching Davis Cup matches in Birmingham as a boy had had on him, saying: “For me, that was the be all and finish all, was to play Davis Cup to your nation, and it nonetheless is.”
This was now his likelihood to earn the essential level as he returned to the courtroom alongside Skupski.
Roger-Vasselin and Mahut have a mixed age of 80 but additionally a wealth of expertise on the very prime of the doubles sport they usually seized management from the beginning.
Evans and Skupski received into the competition within the second set and urged the group to up the noise ranges however they had been unable to use any actual stress to their opponents’ serve.
They performed an outstanding tie-break, although, discovering their rhythm on return and making certain the tie would go all the way in which to the ultimate set.
The British pair had been now massively fired up and there was extra stress between Evans and Fils, sat courtside, within the early phases of the decider because the hosts pushed for a break.
It appeared throughout when a double fault noticed Evans path 0-40 within the tenth sport however he stood agency to avoid wasting all three match factors, and Skupski despatched down an ace to avoid wasting a fourth two video games later.
They trailed 4-2 within the deciding tie-break as effectively however their fightback was not completed.
