Martin Lee now feels he belongs in the big time.

The 23-year-old from East Preston has been called up for Britain's Davis Cup squad in Ecuador next month after six weeks of tournaments in the United States.

Lee, who took world No.24 Sjeng Schalken to five sets at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, believes he now has "locker room power".

The Angmering club member said: "The past six weeks I've gone out and earned the reputation as a tough player.

"Players talk in the locker room about other players' results and if they always see that I give all my opponents a tight match they talk about what a difficult opponent I am.

"It's no good losing tight matches and then getting thrashed.

"You have to consistently be involved in tight matches. That's when you get locker room power and I feel I've got it. I now belong.

"My performances and attitude have been right for six weeks. I've made a step up. I've got extra belief.

I'm just realising what I can do, although I've always believed it deep down, and so are my opponents.

"I spoke to Schalken after he beat me and he said that he didn't know until the last point who was going to win because I was playing so solidly.

"He'd only just beaten Andre Agassi and gave Tim Henman a tight game at Wimbledon yet I only lost my service once in that final set and that was because of an unbelievable pass rather than any bad play from me."

He sees his inclusion in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time as a positive.

Lee, who was 103 going in, said: "Knowing I was there as of right was a big boost. That was an other reason to make me feel I belong.

"I've reached a goal and now I can aim at the next one of establishing myself in the top 100 and then who knows? This year has been an upward curve and I aim to keep it going, starting off in Brazil next week."

Lee is not surprised to be included in the British Davis Cup team.

He said: "With the way I'm playing Roger (Taylor, captain) is quite confident that if Tim or Greg Rusedski got injured I could step in and do a job. Before that wasn't really the case.

"It's not now a case of Martin Lee getting into the Davis Cup squad is a shock. I'm there on merit and I'm picked with Tim and Greg and the decision is: who is the fourth member? I feel part of the team. That does my confidence good."

He hopes to complete a revenge mission.

Lee said: "Ecuador came to Wimbledon and beat us last year and people will see, because the tie is being televised, how difficult the atmosphere will be to play in next month, but I feel we will win."