Goffin to start Davis Cup final against Edmund

“I feel as though he’s my third son”, Judy Murray told ESPN.

Edmund, the world number 100, will open the final at 12.30pm on Friday against Belgium’s David Goffin, ranked 16 in the world.

Smith’s attention to detail has been exemplary over the five years of his tenure and that as much as Murray’s individual heroics – or indeed the collective ones of the brothers – is why we are here in Ghent, a attractive but watchful city that has so far shown a quiet and respectful determination to offer sporting competition a haven in the current turbulent world.

Murray, though, was relaxed enough to crack a joke at the expense of the team captain, Leon Smith.

“It’s just exciting really”.

“Of course it is a situation that makes you think carefully”, said Forbes, a 29-year-old management consultant who traveled from his current base in Qatar to join his pals.

“At the time, I was the national coach in Scotland, and we didn’t have staff and we didn’t have a big budget”. “It took a while for me to decide whether to do it or not”.

“Jamie was about 11 at the time, and Andy was 10”. He had played county-level tennis, and could hit well, so he looked the part. “Five years ago we were way, way behind in this competition – I think it was the lowest position we’d ever been in, so five years later to be playing and competing in the final is a great opportunity”. In three ties he is unbeaten.

It has been a while since Great Britain last lifted the Davis Cup.

Smith’s appointment was a risk for the Lawn Tennis Association, and not universally welcomed.

He has made an excellent job of a role that had been something of a poisoned chalice, that of Davis Cup Captain.

The spotlight is most often shone on Jamie’s brother, Andy, as the pair enjoyed doubles successes in the quarter-final and semi-final victories over France and Australia respectively.

“I think he’s a talented player”.

More than 1,000 British fans were expected to attend to see if they can celebrate a first Davis Cup title win since 1936, with majority travelling through Brussels by air or rail. He acquired the wreckage of the John Lloyd era – the Englishman had fallen out with Andy over his non availability for ties, with even Jamie giving his tuppence worth – and his first tie was a relegation play-off with Turkey with the loser destined to drop to the fourth tier of Davis Cup play, a humiliation from which nations don’t always return.

The tournament is one of the oldest competitions in world sport, and the biggest anual global sporting competition.

“I guess we’ll find out when he gets on court how well he can perform and how well he can get rid of any nerves, because there is no question that it’s a huge change-up when you represent your country and have got the GB top on, compared to just playing for Kyle”. “I think the whole country will be behind us and we’ll try to keep the trophy here”.

“The thinking about that is fairly simplistic”, Smith said.

“He’s a very good communicator”. I’ve probably done better than that, my best is around mid-20s, but Tuesday’s would have been up there.

I guess it’s nice – it’s different. “He’s in his late thirties now, and he’s married with three kids, and is much more mature”.

Roger Federer also backed Murray and Britain to win the Davis Cup.

“There were only three British fans”, she said. It’s been an incredible journey for Leon through the Davis Cup. I think that’s what the players deserve to get when they get on court.