And Malisse – who represented Belgium in 15 Davis Cup ties between 1998 and 2011 including a run to the semi-finals in 1999, says it will be tough for the Scot to adjust to the clay court surface in Ghent in such a short space of time.
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The Great Britain team arrived on Monday, a day later than planned due to the security concerns, but now they are here, Murray and his team-mates are just getting on with the job.
Goffin will certainly hope his last match with Murray less than a month ago is not an omen given he won only a single game at the Paris Masters.
Great Britain and Belgium will go head-to-head in the final of the 2015 Davis Cup in Ghent from 27-29 November. But the security threat level in Ghent remains at level three, the same as London where the ATP World Tour finals were held last week and where Premier League football matches have gone without a hitch since the bombings.
The plight of a seriously ill coach who has worked for the Belgian and British Davis Cup teams will provide a poignant backdrop when the final begins on Friday. “I didn’t play really well but Andy was really aggressive, he played an unbelievable match there”.
Though it’s all about the team in this competition, both nations will be looking to their more experienced and illustrious names to help drive them to the title this weekend and inspire them to victory.
The Murray brothers will be joined by doubles specialist Dominic Inglot and British player Kyle Edmund. ‘I think it’s one of the main goals we had, to get the whole country behind us.
John Feaver, the former Davis Cup player and Lawn Tennis Association tournament director, believes Leon Smith’s side have the momentum to lift the famous trophy for the first time in 79 years. Murray explained: “I think the court’s good”.
Haggerty, a 58-year-old from the United States who only took up the role in September, denied the event had ever been close to being called off. In the two matches (France and Australia) in which Murray played 3 ties, Britain were thankful for the superb play of the other Murray, brother Jamie, in the doubles to see us to victory. “I think for Belgium it’s important in sports in general, not only in tennis”. I hope as many [British] fans can travel over as possible to give us the best support, though we obviously understand if people make another decision because of what’s been happening in Brussels. “It’s hard to know exactly how the court’s going to play come Friday, but I liked it yesterday”.
After David Lloyd criticised Andy Murray for not aiding the development of British tennis, Tim Henman has defended the world number two.
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“I know when you win like a slam or a big competition, it’s years, obviously, in the works”.
