So we have a home promotion playoff to look forward to in September

Here is some info about our next opponents:

Hungary have beaten a Baggy-free Cyprus 5-0 (all in straight sets) and Belarus 3-2 (from 1-2 down) to get this far. They have been in EAZ Group 2 since 2004, having dropped down to G3 for a year in 2003. They have only reached the World Group twice, in 1994 and 1996, though they also reached an equivalent stage before the Wold Group came into existence.


GBR v HUN - H2H

We have played Hungary 3 times, but this will be the first time we have played them at home - the rule about alternating did not come into force until 1970.

Jun 1929 - GB, with Bunny Austin in the team, won 3-2 on clay in Budapest
May 1966 - GB (Roger Taylor, Mike Sangster & Bobby Wilson) won 3-2 on clay in Budapest
May 1993 - HUN won 3-2 on clay in Budapest against Chris Wilkinson, Jeremy Bates & Mark Petchey

The same four players have made up the team in both of Hungary's previous matches this year. In highlighting their DC records indoors, I am assuming the tie will be played indoors, but of course previous September ties have sometimes been outdoors as well. I will update the rankings shown after the USO.


Attila Balázs - DOB 27 Sep 1988 (age 22), right-handed

WR 224 (CH 153 last Oct), DWR 666 (CH 312 in Sep 2009)

DC singles 8-2 (but 0-2 indoors), doubles 2-0

Only played a Brit once in singles, beating Morgan Phillips 5 & 2 on clay in Croatia last year.


Adám Kellner - DOB 1 Aug 1986 (will be aged 25), right-handed

WR 249 (CH 222 in May), DWR 835 (CH 632 in Nov 2010)

DC singles 5-6 (3-3 indoors), doubles 0-0

5-1 v Brits in singles (wins v Feaver, Thornley, Flanagan, Banks, Miotto, lost to Marray in Jamaica in 2003)


Kornel Bardoczky - DOB 5 Jul 1978 (age 33), right-handed

WR 714 (CH 254 in Jul 2004), DWR 870 (CH 130 in May 2004), so used to be a decent Challenger-level player

DC singles 17-13 (4-2 indoors), doubles 12-5

1-1 v Brits in singles, both against Alan Mackin, but the last meeting was in 2003. He beat Jamie Baker in doubles in 2007.


Márton Fucsovics - DOB 8 Feb 1992 (age 19), right-handed

WR 682 (= CH), DWR 1321 (CH 1300 in April), junior world no. 1 in July last year, having won junior Wimbledon

DC singles 1-1 (0-1 indoors), doubles 0-2

1-0 v Brits in singles (a retirement by Josh Milton in China earlier this year), though he has played Brits many more times in juniors, the most recent being a 5 & 3 loss to Oliver Golding at last year's Youth Olympics.

He is the only member of the team who lists his favourite surface as grass on ITF, the other three all say clay.