PORTSCHACH, Austria (AFP) - Inspired by Europe's win in the Ryder Cup and Colin Montgomery's match winning putt, Great Britain are in bullish mood ahead of their Davis Cup tie with Austria.
Cheering every ball into the hole from their training camp in La Manga, Jeremy Bates, the GB captain, finds himself in charge of a relaxed and confident team ahead of the match which will decide which team stays in the World Group next season.
On Friday Jeremy Bates will lead his squad of Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski, Alex Bogdanovic and Andrew Murray into battle against Thomas Muster's hardy band of Jurgen Melzer, Stefan Koubek, Alexander Peya and Julian Knowle.
Playing in the resort town of Portschach, the idyllic setting will be lost on the combatants.
To the winner goes the spoils of a World Group place next year and the chance for glory; to loser falls another year in limbo in the Euro-Africa zone/group one, the halfway house between success and ignominy.
A year ago Britain were in the same position facing Morocco and trying to qualify for a pot in the World Group.
On the opening day of the tie Greg Rusedski received the news that he had failed a routine dope test.
His world was collapsing around his ears and, three days later, he collapsed with heat exhaustion against Hicham Arazi and lost the fifth a deciding rubber. Britain had lost and Rusedski was facing a nine month battle to clear his name.
Twelve months on and with the drugs fiasco behind him, Rusedski is ready for whatever the team needs from him this weekend.
"I feel great," he said, fresh from reaching the quarter finals in Delray Beach last week.
"This tie is totally different to Morocco. Firstly I've had a six month enforced rest (as he went through the anti-doping tribunal process) and also Casablanca was extremely hot. Austria is different."
The thought of three matches in three days, even if they are on clay, does not worry Rusedski and, much to the surprise of the whole team, the conditions are not quite as slow as they had feared.
"The clay is slow," Bates explained.
"But the balls are fast so we are very happy so far. The team has been together for eight days and practise went well in La Manga. The two teams have similar rankings and we are confident."
Tim Henman, as usual, has all eyes and hopes focused on him. As the world number four, he is expected to win every time he steps on court for Britain but he has grander plans than just a place in the top division of the Davis Cup.
"We have never won a match in the World Group," the French and US Open semi- finalist said.
"I've been playing well this year and to qualify for the World Group and win our first round there would be a great way to finish off this year and start next year."