Leon Smith agreed to a contract extension to remain Great Britain's Davis Cup captain through 2018. The Lawn Tennis Association announced the three-year extension for Smith Wednesday shortly after his team began its Davis Cup title defense.
Great Britain appointed Smith captain in 2010, and the team is 13-2 in Davis Cup matches since. Last year the Brits won their first Davis Cup, international tennis' main team event, since 1936, a 79-year drought, beating Belgium 3-1.
Led by Andy Murray, the International Tennis Federation's second-ranked player in the world, Great Britain is defending its Davis Cup title as the top seed. Smith's contract extension also keeps him at the helm of the LTA, an appointment that has proven successful over the first half of the decade.
"It is a huge honor and privilege to continue captaining our Davis Cup team," Smith said of the extension. "We have achieved so much over the last six years and becoming world champions last year will be the highlight of my career.
"I'm really excited at the opportunity to continue working with this group of players, support staff and of course our fans. Our Davis Cup journey has captured the imagination of so many people across the country and I'm looking forward to using our Davis Cup successes as a way to get more kids playing tennis."
Smith's appointment as Davis Cup captain in 2010 drew criticism at the time because he coached Murray, the country's most recognizable player, as a child. He was also named Davis Cup captain at the age of 34, the youngest since Paul Hutchins was appointed as a 30-year-old in 1975.
But Smith quelled his critics by not relying solely on Murray to win and rather strengthening the team through its lesser-known players. Great Britain beat Japan 3-1 to open this year's Davis Cup and is set to play Serbia in the quarterfinals in mid-July.
"As I said after Leon led the Great Britain team to the title in Ghent, we are lucky to have the world's best Davis Cup captain lead our nation," said LTA Executive Director Michael Downey. "We are delighted to extend his contract further as we continue to build on this run of success."
