Lloyd's job as captain under threat

( GETTY)

John Lloyd's position as team captain will be reviewed as the Lawn Tennis Association launches an urgent inquiry into Britain's humiliating defeat by Lithuania in Vilnius at the weekend. It was a fifth successive defeat, the worst in British history, and leaves the country facing a play-off against Turkey to decide who will be relegated to Europe Africa Zone Group Three, the Davis Cup's lowest tier.

"I share the deep disappointment and frustration at this result," Roger Draper, the LTA's chief executive, said yesterday. "Five defeats in a row is unacceptable. So I have asked the LTA player director, Steven Martens, to review last week's performance and result and report back to me and the LTA main board as soon as possible. That review needs to be swift and decisive as it is clear some real improvements need to be made."

Greg Rusedski, who already works for the LTA as a talent and performance ambassador, has been mentioned as a possible successor to Lloyd, but the LTA denied that it had made any approach to him.