“We get together for Davis Cup two, three, in a great year four times – that’s fantastic and it’s a great experience, and it’s an important competition for us, but what the players are doing on the main tour is more important”.
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After more than eight hours of tennis already in this tie and on the back of a gruelling summer, it was wonderful the world number two even had the energy to drag himself onto the court at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
In the absence of Juan Martin del Potro, who wasn’t in good enough shape to play on Sunday after wearing himself out with the ludicrous decision to play in Saturday’s doubles rubber, it was Mayer who stepped up.
Until it was announced shortly before the deciding rubber, Evans was not sure who he would be facing. But again, he has to be smart with his schedule again next year.
“Getting the ball back into the court was tough and when I did he played pretty well from the back”.
Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer has recovered from a set down to beat Dan Evans and end Great Britain’s hopes of retaining their Davis Cup crown.
There was to be another break of the Argentine’s serve in the first game as Murray set the tone for the set.
2005 champion Croatia clinched its passage against France when Marin Cilic beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-2 7-5 in the first reverse singles in Zadar Sunday to build a winning 3-1 lead. On Saturday: Andy Murray/Jamie Murray (Bri) bt Juan Martin Del Potro/Leonardo Mayer (Arg) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“Originally we would think he would play the fifth rubber if possible, but after Friday’s match we couldn’t think of that”.
Unfortunately though for Great Britain, the doubles victory would not be enough to set them on a course that would lead to the final stage of the competition.
“I haven’t been able to play because of (shoulder) injury so I am delighted to be back on form”, Mayer said.
The absence of a Davis Cup final the week after also means he can go through with the initial plan to go back to a full off-season training block in Miami with Ivan Lendl, like he used to have.
After more than eight hours of tennis already in this tie and on the back of a gruelling summer, it was fantastic he even had the energy to walk on to the court.
He added more than 10 hours of tennis to that over three days and paid the price, suffering a thigh injury early in the third set.
Murray has endured an exhausting five months, during which he reached seven consecutive finals, before falling to a surprise quarter-final defeat against Kei Nishikori at the US Open two weeks ago.
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The Scot will now focus on resting his aching body and is hoping to be fit for his charity event in Glasgow on Wednesday, where he is due to play Grigor Dimitrov.
