Davis cup final on track

The Davis Cup final between Belgium and Great Britain will still go ahead next weekend despite the worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) admitting to concerns over the security lockdown in Brussels.

The global Tennis Federation said it was “greatly concerned” by the Belgian government’s decision to raise the terror alert for Brussels.

“Ghent is still at Level 3 security, the same as London, Brussels is Level 4”.

“It is an event with global exposure, with 13,000 spectators a day, so it is a risk event, of course, in the current situation – but I’m very confident in our government”, Kooken told the BBC.

The danger and difficulties in travelling to Ghent, which remains on a level three security alert, one below the maximum in Brussels, were sufficient for the former British No1, Tim Henman, who played in that Ecuador tie, to cancel plans to travel to the final with his wife and three children.

Ghent, where the Davis Cup final is being held starting on Friday, is only 35 miles from Brussels and t he 13,000-seat Flanders Expo is sold out for all three days of the final, with more than 1,000 British fans due to attend.

Henman disagrees with Lloyd’s view of the situation and says Murray – who will lead Great Britain in the Davis Cup final against Belgium – and his successes on the ATP Tour do more to inspire future tennis players than touring the country. For Belgium, this will be its first finals in 111 years.

UK’s squad will comprise Andy Murray, Jamie Murray, Kyle Edmund, Dominic Inglot and James Ward. Team captain Leon Smith was also influenced by the unavailability of the actual match court at the Flanders Expo for practice.

With Ghent close to the Belgian capital there had been concerns ahead of the final, but the ITF has strengthened security to ensure it goes ahead as planned.

Not surprisingly, sniffer dogs and explosive experts will be attendance at the venue.

“So we are going to be watching at home”.

The device was found on Monday in the same area where a cellphone belonging to fugitive suspect Salah Abdeslam was located on the day of the Paris attacks but the vest has not been formally linked to him, said two police officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.

“Given the atmosphere and the environment for the match in Belgium – 90% of the support is going to be locals – I think that really will focus his mind”.