If Aljaz Bedene – a resident of Welwyn Garden City since 2008 and a British passport-holder since March – had been available for selection against Australia in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup in Glasgow this weekend, there is every likelihood the Great Britain captain, Leon Smith, would have picked him.
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Andy Murray will lead a team bidding to win Britain’s first title since 1936, while the visitors will be without Nick Kyrgios, who lost to the Scot in the opening round of the U.S. Open and who has frequently drawn controversy for his antics this season.
Murray rejected claims that Britain is a one-man team, and that all the pressure was on him. We got into this position by everyone in the team playing their part. “When we play five-a-sides he shines out, but I’m going to say that aren’t I?”
“It’s Lleyton’s last chance to win the Davis Cup and he’ll be feeling pressure as well”.
A group of primary school children have been served brunch by Andy Murray and his Davis Cup team-mates.
The 28-year-old, who will be cheered on by a passionate home support in Scotland, added that he had played some of the best tennis of his career in the competition.
Murray did accept that “the pressure is on us as well because everyone views this as a good opportunity”.
“It’s hard not to when you play in an atmosphere like we will be playing in in a couple of days”.
Murray suffered the disappointment of being knocked out in the fourth round of the US Open by Kevin Anderson in New York last week – his earliest exit from a Grand Slam tournament in five years.
Tara McGregor-Woodhams, Head of Brand & Sponsorship, Aegon United Kingdom said: “I’m extremely proud of the work that Aegon does to help children in the communities around us”.
Leading Britain to Davis Cup glory would rank as high as winning Wimbledon in Andy Murray’s list of achievements, according to former British number one Greg Rusedski. If it came back that [Edmund’s injury] was a serious [one], and we had another injury – which can happen in sport – I’d look pretty insane if I didn’t have any back-up here.
Smith rushed Dan Evans into his squad late on Tuesday after Edmund took a tumble and injured his right ankle during practice at the Emirates Arena.
“(Tomic) didn’t take too kindly to it but each to their own.
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The winners in Glasgow will face either Argentina or Belgium in the final at the end of November. “Obviously there’ll be more people in the stadium this time so I expect it will be very noisy!”
