Briton Toby Samuel is set to make his Davis Cup debut for Great Britain after a year he described as “surreal.” The call-up came as a significant moment for the player, who was in New York for his US Open debut when he received the news.
“I was out in New York walking around when I got a call up from Leon [Smith] the captain saying, ‘congratulations, you've been selected,'" Samuel said. "It was unbelievable, it was one of the best moments of my tennis life, to get called up to that, it's what every British player wants, to represent their country and play for their country."
Samuel's recent performances have marked a series of career firsts. At the US Open, he secured his maiden Grand Slam victory by defeating Tomas Machac before being eliminated by 18th seed Jiri Lehecka in the subsequent round. He also reached the main draw of the French Open after navigating through three qualifying rounds, ultimately losing to world number eight Alex de Minaur.
Weeks after the French Open, Samuel received a wildcard entry at Wimbledon, where he competed against Czech 15th seed Jakub Mensik, taking him to five sets. Samuel admitted to initial nerves in these top-tier tournaments, encountering and playing against highly ranked players.
"At first it was a completely new experience, I was pretty nervous going to those tournaments, seeing the top guys there in the locker rooms and playing against them - I was sort of shaking a little bit on court," Samuel recalled. "But after the second or third time I did it I got more used to it and I felt like I was a lot calmer on the court, which helped me to go deep."
The transition to playing consistently in five-set matches, a step up from the three-set matches typically played on the Challenger Tour, has been a significant adjustment. This past year has required both mental and physical development to adapt to the demands of top-level competition. Samuel noted improvements in his serve and forehand, which he now considers his primary weapons.
"Before they were good but they weren't really scaring people," he said. "Now they're my biggest weapons and I can take matches with them."