MURRAY WINNING FITNESS RACE FOR AUSTRALIAN OPEN
DEFENDING champion Andy Murray was absent from the draw for the tour finals at London’s O2 Arena that start on Sunday, but there are grounds for optimism he will be back in the hat for 2018. Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, who knows Murray as well as anyone, had high hopes after seeing the former world No 1’s movement during his charity exhibition against Roger Federer on Tuesday night. He was not totally surprised, however, having had a sneak preview. ‘I saw him hit last week and was pleasantly surprised by how well he was moving,’ said Smith, who spent a lot of time with Murray on his trip to Glasgow. ‘I don’t think Roger was bluffing when he said he was surprised at how well Andy was moving.’ Murray, whose wife Kim has just given birth to their second daughter, said he wants to come back in Australia in January, and Smith believes he can make it. ‘Considering where he was eight weeks ago and that it is eight t weeks until Australia, it is very encouraging. He is planning on playing in Brisbane.’ Smith is less optimistic Murray will play for Great Britain in n Spain in February’s ’s first round of the Davis Cup World Group, which comes immediately after the Australian Open. ‘The most likely thing is for it to be on clay. For Andy that would mean a quick change of surface, which is not easy.’ Smith also reflected on a year which started brightly for GB players, but did not end up with a real breakthrough. Matters were not helped by Dan Evans’s removal from the scene after his positive test for cocaine. ‘Jamie Murray should never be taken for granted. He’s in one of the world’s top four teams and qualified again for London. ‘Kyle Edmund did a really good job towards the end of the year. He is in the top 50 at 22 years old and it wouldn’t surprise me if he has a strong year in 2018. He is investing in his tennis with new coaches and could easily have been seeded in the Slams if he had converted some of those third sets he had. ‘It would be great if Cam Norrie (currently ranked 115) forced his way into the main draw for the Slams next season. There have been encouraging signs from Liam Broady and Jay Clarke.Cl Dan will be coming back so thereth are grounds for optimism.’ The ATP continued in its hapless week ffor draw ceremonies yesterday when Boris Becker arrived 45 minutes late for the pulling of names for nnext week’s finals on Chris Evans’s BBC Breakfast Show. Fans were also left fuming after ATP released the wrong schedule, leaving some supporters out of pocket. The ATP wrote on their website that Rafa Nadal’s first match would be this Sunday, with Roger Federer on Monday, before Federer correctly said he was in the group playing on Sunday. The ATP amended their mistake, but not before some fans had bought tickets for particular days, based on seeing their favourite players. WORLD TOUR FINALS SINGLES DRAW: Group A: Rafa Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin. Group B: Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, Jack Sock.