Could Greg Rusedski be about to amaze us all once more and extend his record of most years played by any British competitor in the Davis Cup to 14? He may have just passed his 35th birthday and have retired from the competition 17 months ago, but there are strong indications that Rusedski would be keen to present himself as a member of the squad for the tie against Ukraine next March.

What seems far-fetched on the surface is not so incredible when the idea is seriously thought through. Rusedski is said to have been dismayed at the disharmony and aggravation that effectively ended Britain's hopes of defeating Austria in the world group relegation play-off at Wimbledon last weekend. He believes he is as fit now as he was when he stepped away from the event after the home victory over Holland at Birmingham's NEC in April 2007 and that he could hold his own in one five-set match.

John Lloyd, the captain, is already talking about not picking a designated doubles team - his choice of Jamie Murray and Ross Hutchins for the pivotal match against Austria backfired - and would therefore select three singles players and one doubles specialist. Say Lloyd chooses a Davis Cup novice as his No2 singles pick (Josh Goodall, Chris Eaton or, as a long shot, Marcus Willis); if they lose, as expected, to Ukraine's No1, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Andy Murray wins his opening day singles, Britain are beaten in the doubles and Murray restores the score to 2-2, it leaves another perilous, decisive fifth rubber to be played. In steps Rusedski.

David Lloyd, the elder brother of John, who, on his debut as captain, chose the Canada-born player for the first time in his new nation's colours against Monaco in 1995, is a long-time friend and confidant of the former British No1 and believes that such a decision would be a positive rather than a retrograde step.

“I talk to Greg all the time, I know how passionate he remains about the Davis Cup and what is happening to the British team and that he would do whatever he could to help,” David Lloyd said. “I haven't run this idea past my brother yet but who is to say that Greg being in the squad wouldn't be a great lift for everyone? He has kept himself in great shape, I'd give him a crack against any of those being considered for places. Let's be honest, what happened against Austria was very disappointing. We can't afford to lose this tie, otherwise we'll be going back to where we were in the competition when I took over as captain in ‘95.That would be a disaster.”

In 2002, after Lloyd's dismissal from the captaincy, Rusedski took a long time to say that he would commit himself to the team under new leadership, such is the powerful bond between the two. During the period when his career was in doubt over a doping allegation from which he was subsequently cleared, Rusedski remained in isolation at Lloyd's home near Loch Lomond, in Scotland. They have always had a tremendous amount of time for each other. If Lloyd thinks Rusedski could play Davis Cup tennis again, it is a safe bet Rusedski thinks so, too.

Last week, Rusedski was the (non-playing) captain of the British Junior Davis Cup squad which failed to come through the group stages of the finals in Mexico and his desire to captain the senior team one day is manifest. He will have been delighted that Hutchins rebounded from the Davis Cup doubles defeat by Austria to triumph in the China Open yesterday and lift his first ATP title in tandem with Stephen Huss, the Australian.

Everywhere one looks around the girls' game in Britain these days, there are encouraging signs. After the performance of Laura Robson, the 14-year-old, in reaching the semi-finals of the ITF tournament in Shrewsbury, the British squad of Heather Watson, Tara Moore and Amy Askew have reached the final of the Junior Fed Cup, on clay in Mexico, in which they were due to meet the favourites, the United States, last night.