Belgium prepare for first Davis Cup final in over a century
Captain Leon Smith has opted to give himself options in the singles by picking James Ward as back-up while leaving out Dom Inglot. That could leave the tie in the doubles which features both Andy and Jamie Murray against Kimmer Coppejans and Steve Darcis.
He said: “I’m happy to take as much pressure on my shoulders as is needed. I’ve been in that position a lot of times in my career and I will be able to deal with it okay”, Murray said. “But I know they wouldn’t miss it. (Our fans) are sensational at what they do, and I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere”.
But a Davis Cup winners’ medal would complete the transformation from moody teenager with scruffy hair who once caused a furore for his supposed lack of support for the England soccer team, to a national sporting hero. Kyle [Edmund, making his Cup debut] has a lot of weapons on the court. It’s something I’m going to have to learn as I go through the match. “Looking at it as Belgium versus me is actually counterproductive to them, if that’s the case”.
Murray’s call comes in the wake of an accusation from former Davis Cup captain David Lloyd that he has not done enough to grow the game in Britain in the years leading up to this first final appearance since 1978. The only non-Murray point was gained by Ward against John Isner of the United States of America in Glasgow.
Yet, despite a mellowing of his character, world number two Murray’s devotion to the Davis Cup this year has been fanatical.
The competition is structured with a 16-nation World Group which is contest over four weekends during the year.
“I think it will be huge”, he said. But I’m not going to discuss tactics here.
“The doubles is fairly simplistic”, he added.
Murray is undefeated in singles action during this year’s event, but Britain also had the benefit of a supportive crowd, thanks to playing each of its previous three rounds at home, two of them in Scotland, from where the Murray clan hails. The slight and slender Belgian won the Comeback Player of the Year Award at the end of last year after a storming rise to 22 from outside the top 100, having broken his wrist in 2013.
“We’ve discussed tactics already and I know what to do to make it as hard as possible and, who knows?, to beat him”.
The whole Murray family will be travelling to Ghent to watch Andy and Jamie play in the Davis Cup final. The left hander and World No 109, reckons he could be something of a surprise package.
Edmund recalled beating a local player, Stéphane Robert, in front of a noisy crowd at the French Open this year but admitted: “This will definitely be louder, a lot more people watching. I think it can really be an advantage”.
“Their best shot is to win the other two singles and the doubles. That’s all we can do”, Murray said.
Among the sites targeted in Friday’s attacks was the Stade de France, where France’s national team was playing Germany in a soccer friendly. That was kind of what we thought was going to happen.
“We have prepared as best we can”.
“We feel like we have the chance to be part of history”, MacDonald, 28, said.
In the late match at the ATP finals, nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal beat current French Open champion Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2.
As Henri Leconte pointed out when I spoke to him earlier this week, this is Davis Cup and there’s usually at least a twist along the way.