All square in Glasgow

The Slovakian number one is ranked 65th in the world but Evans played the best match of his life to triumph 6-3 7-5 7-5 and give Leon Smith's side a shock lead at Braehead Arena.

Ward briefly looked capable of making it a perfect day when he levelled things with Martin Klizan at one set all, but the Slovakian had the edge and ran out a 6-2 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7/3) winner.

Evans went into his match as a huge underdog, ranked more than 200 places below his opponent and without a win at either Davis Cup or ATP World Tour level.

"It was good fun. To beat him in three straight wasn't what I thought would happen if I did win. I was confident before that I could win but not in such style."
Dan Evans Quotes of the week

There have been questions in the past about the 21-year-old's attitude and commitment but he rose to the occasion magnificently here, surprising even himself with the manner of his victory.

Fun

"It was good fun," he said. "To beat him in three straight wasn't what I thought would happen if I did win. I was confident before that I could win but not in such style.

"I was nervous at the start. When I practised there wasn't anyone there (in the crowd), but I started pretty well, got on top and played good tennis."

Evans flew out of the blocks, winning the first three games before his opponent had had the chance to find any rhythm.

The Slovakian did improve but the Birmingham player held his nerve superbly to serve out the first set.

In the second Evans really had to show his battling qualities, twice breaking back immediately after Lacko had pulled ahead and then moving ahead himself in the 11th game before serving it out with an ace.

Evans, whose selection came largely as a result of his effort in qualifying for last week's tournament in Zagreb where Lacko reached the final, had his tactics spot on, mixing up his play well and volleying brilliantly.

He let an advantage slip in the decider but it was not the momentum shift some feared and he broke again before clinching victory when Lacko, 24, fired a return long.

It was Evans' first appearance in Davis Cup since he lost both rubbers in the humiliating loss to Lithuania in 2010, and he felt two years of growing up had made the difference.

"In the last ties I've felt pretty small on the court but there, even at the start when we were stood to go out, I felt like I could hold my own," said Evans, who stands only 5ft 9in.

"It sounds stupid but before I felt like a bit of a boy. [Today], even though he's 65 in the world, I felt pretty confident walking out, and that's probably what helped me the most."

Frustration

Evans' success raised hopes for Ward, who has been a reliable servant for Britain over the last couple of years, winning seven of his previous nine rubbers, and was ranked only 38 places below his opponent.

But this time it was the Slovakian who was on form in the early stages and he raced through the first set.

Ward was making too many unforced errors but he dug deep, saving seven break points at the start of the second set, and slowly the momentum swung.

Klizan's level dropped and Ward, who had received a code violation for slamming his racquet down in frustration, finally broke through in the 10th game, taking his third set point when the Slovakian hit a backhand wide.

The third set was nip and tuck but Ward missed a chance to break at 4-3 and he was made to pay, Klizan reeling off three games in a row.

The British number two moved 4-1 ahead in the fourth but played a sloppy game to allow Klizan back into it and it was the Slovakian who dominated the tie-break.