It was actually a really good situation to be in. I hope we can do the business over the next few days’.
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Murray has been splitting his preparation time for the two tournaments on both surfaces, and it showed.
Edmund, 20, will become only the sixth player to make his Davis Cup debut in the finals when he takes on world No. 12 David Goffin in Ghent’s 12,000 capacity Flanders Expo Arena today. Britain have won it nine times, but since their last triumph, in 1936, have reached only one final, when John McEnroe and friends beat Buster Mottram, Mark Cox and the Lloyd brothers in California in 1978.
‘I’m happy to take as much pressure on my shoulders as is needed, ‘ he said.
Smith explained: “I think where Kyle’s ranking sits now, and that he’s very comfortable on this surface, is why we’re starting that way”.
“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 experience I’ve had close to that is probably in Paris in my (French Open) first round when I played a French guy in front of a loud French crowd”. Team leader Goffin is 11-2 lifetime in Davis Cup singles appearances, and has won his past six matches. I know they put in a lot of work even before that. He has a lot of firepower out there.
The pair have never met before so I can see this one getting easier as it goes on for Murray, who is very adept at figuring out an opponent’s game during the course of a match.
He continued: “We are especially looking forward to this weekend’s Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final in Belgium, as it is a key market for us following our recent launch in the country”. The teams were friendly but wary at the draw on Thursday.
When you think of British tennis you think Wimbledon, but this team’s fans are a world removed from the genteel ethos of reserved politeness to be found in southwest London.
“I think it will be huge”, he said.
The combatants, meanwhile, are all searingly aware of the seriousness of the engagement.
Having played on all three days of Britain’s quarter-final and semi-final wins over France and Australia respectively, Murray is likely to do so again in the final against Belgium this weekend.
Belgium is bidding for its first title in its first final in 111 years – when it lost 5-0 to Britain at Wimbledon. Much has changed dramatically since then for Smith’s squad – Murray returning to action being the most significant development.
And on home soil in Glasgow in September, just after Jamie and Peers had made the final of the US Open, the Murray brothers won in five pulsating sets against Australians Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth. That is an extraordinary contribution from one family.
Kyle Edmund will have a Davis Cup baptism of fire for Britain in Ghent on Friday when he leads the way in a final against Belgium that no-one expected at the start of the year.
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Edmund, who won a second-tier Challenger title on clay in Buenos Aires this month to grab the attention of his team skipper, acknowledged he is entering the cauldron. “The last five years it’s been a progression from a pretty low place in world tennis, to playing for the biggest team competition”.
