Murray and team-mates delayed their planned transit to Flanders at the weekend after the Belgian government placed Brussels on maximum alert for an imminent terrorist attack. While there are no changes to start times for the match at the city’s Flanders Expo Centre, where the Britain team were scheduled to practice tonight, no-one will be permitted access to the venue with a bag or holdall, while no food or drink will be permitted into the venue.
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“I think the day I played Andy in (Paris) Bercy, it was just a day off for me”.
“I know it’s a different picture in Brussels and of course there are natural concerns for people who were either opting to stay there or travel through there, but all I can say, and the team can say, is that it is very, very normal in Ghent”.
“I do think the rest of the team play a big part in it but to beat Australia in the Davis Cup is huge and France as well”. I hope as many fans can travel over as possible.
He has until one hour before the draw on Thursday to make his mind up – James Ward has the experience but Kyle Edmund, who has never played a Davis Cup tie, is in form having won a clay court Challenger title a little over a week ago.
Speaking to the Daily Mail about the decision, Goffin confirmed that this was the reasoning behind the choice, saying “for Britain it’s tough to play on clay”, whereas it’s easy for Belgium because they “love” the surface as they have been playing on it “every summer” since he was “five years old”. That’s why I didn’t speak to the guys directly about it just yet.
“I think we as a team have a lot of confidence in the organisation. I think we’re all ready to go”.
He added: “Obviously things had happened that made it a bit more concerning”. Typically, two players from each nation are picked to contest two singles rubbers each – one on Friday, the other on Sunday – with those players often roped into doubles action on the Saturday as well. “I only practised once on it so far yesterday evening. The last five years … it’s been a progression from a pretty low place in world tennis to playing for the biggest team competition”.
“I didn’t necessarily think of it like that”, he said, “that we were here to set an example”.
“Our team’s got a lot of experience now because of the ties”.
There are no surprises in the Belgium line-up, with Kimmer Coppejans, Ruben Bemelmans, David Goffin and Steve Darcis given the nod.
Asked what he made of criticism by David Lloyd, Britain’s former captain, who said at the weekend that Murray did not put enough back into British tennis, the world No 2 delivered a magnificent put-down.
Speaking in Paris on Monday after meeting French President Francois Hollande, Cameron said the two leaders agreed to increase counterterrorism cooperation after the attacks. “You know it’s there but you’re not really listening”.
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If Murray helps Britain win in an era in which he may find it impossible to outshine the ridiculously talented Novak Djovokic, he will simply be continuing his career-long habit of completely outperforming the last 70 years or more of British tennis players.
