Qualifier Ward: A forgotten British Davis Cup hero

CHENNAI: With Great Britain's venerated Davis Cup triumph this year pivoting largely around Andy Murray, compatriot James Ward had to be content with finding a spot in the fringes of glory. The world No. 156's come-from-behind win over American No. 1 John Isner in the opening round in March had handed the side a crucial 2-0 lead.
"I've given a lot of time in my career and played my part in Davis Cup over the last four or five years and was ready to do so again if I would have been called upon in the decider.Maybe now I should focus a bit more on myself and work on getting higher in the rankings. I'm looking to improve my game. Results should follow," Ward, who has to work his way through the qualifying round of this edition's Chennai Open, said.
Son of a London cabbie, the 28-year-old has had more than his fair share of odds to measure up to. His father sold off their family home to fund the former world No. 89's then-fledgling career. "It hasn't been easy. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication especially when there isn't enough money. I try to do the best I can in tournaments so that I can improve my rankings and earn more. Pretty much like most other players."
Prompt to disapprove reports of having 'sold' his Arsenal season tickets to fund his training during his early years Ward clarifies, "I actually rented it to a friend since I wouldn't have been able to make it to the matches."
Formerly Britain's second-best player behind Andy Murray, Ward now finds himself in an unenviable fourth place with the likes of Aljaz Bedene (No. 45) and Kyle Edmund (No. 102) moving ahead. So is the gulf between Murray and him unsettling at times? "I don't look at it that way. Why is there a gap between (Roger) Federer and (Marco) Chiudinelli? Andy is a very special talent and an unbelievable player and wouldn't be fair to compare him with anybody let alone with players who've spent most of their careers outside the top 100. We have a strong team and are ranked No. 1 in the world. So nobody can talk about us at the moment."
With Arsenal leading the table in the English Premier League, the fanboy in Ward couldn't be happier. "I'm happy with the way they are playing now. Had we not lost to Southampton it would have been easier to extend the gap a little bit more. It's an interesting season with everybody losing to everybody. Hopefully Arsenal will be back to winning the Premier League this time."