Great Britain’s hopes of reaching the Davis Cup final are over after Dan Evans and Jack Draper both suffered defeats against a strong Canadian side.
Leon Smith’s side needed to beat Canada 3-0 in Manchester to qualify for the last 16 in Malaga in November.
But their fate was sealed early on Sunday, with Evans’ 6-0 7-5 defeat to Denis Shapovalov meaning GB will finish outside the top two in Group D.
British number one Jack Draper then lost 7-6 (10-8) 7-5 to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Evans later said he had thought long and hard about ending his Davis Cup career.
He did not return for the doubles match, with debutant Henry Patten partnering Neal Skupski for a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 consolation victory over Gabriel Diallo and Alexis Galarneau.
Canada, the 2022 champions, advance alongside Argentina, who booked their place in the round of 16 with a 3-0 win over Finland on Saturday.
“Sometimes you know when you have to leave”
Evans has played 28 Davis Cup matches for Great Britain and was a substitute when they won their last title in 2015.
However, he was swept aside in the first set by Shapovalov, who silenced the 15,000 crowd at the Manchester Arena by winning the first set in just 25 minutes.
The 34-year-old Briton finally scored when he held early in the second set but failed to capitalise on two break points at 4-4.
Former world number 10 Shapovalov managed to confirm his dominance in the first set by delivering the decisive blow at 6-5 to take his country into the round of 16, which will take place from November 19 to 24.
Evans later said he would speak to captain Smith about the possibility of ending his Davis Cup career.
“I’ve thought about it for a long time. I’ll have to think about it a little bit more,” Evans told BBC Sport.
“I love competing for my country. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but sometimes you have to know when to stop.
“It’s going to be a tough decision, but sometimes it’s nice to give someone else a chance and watch from afar.”
Frustrated Draper falls to Auger-Aliassime
Playing just nine days after his US Open semi-final loss, Draper fended off two break points early in the first set and found himself neck and neck with Auger-Aliassime for the remainder of the set.
The 22-year-old Briton managed to come back from 6-3 down in the ensuing tie-break, saving five set points before finally conceding victory on a miss.
He responded by angrily smashing his racket on the court floor, requiring the use of a leaf blower to clear the debris.
Things looked promising for Draper when he broke in the first game of the second set, but he was quickly pegged back and paid the price when Auger-Aliassime struck again to lead 6-5, eventually serving out the victory with an ace.
Who reached the “Final Eight”?
The United States, who have won a record 32 Davis Cup titles, join Canada and Argentina in Malaga after qualifying with a resounding 8-1 performance.
The Americans finished top of Group C ahead of Germany, which won its other matches against Chile and Slovakia.
Defending champions Italy have qualified ahead of their final Group A game against the Netherlands despite the absence of world number one Jannik Sinner following his injury. Triumph at the US Open earlier this month.
The Dutch team must beat the Italians on Sunday to secure second place and reach the last 16.
Spain and Australia had both secured their places in the round of 16 before Sunday’s clash, but it was Spain who won 2-1 to top Group B.
Analysis
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
Great Britain’s Davis Cup team could have a new face next year if Evans decides to step down.
The competition will also be a little different, with September’s 16-team group stage reverting to eight knockout matches.
So there will be no six days of tennis in Manchester next September, but Great Britain could still return if they get a draw at home.
Details have yet to be released, but teams not offered a wildcard will have to win matches in early February and mid-September to reach the eight-team final, which is unlikely to remain in Malaga after this year.
These changes will be appreciated by many players and will help avoid two countries fighting in a neutral location with little atmosphere.
