Jamie flies Murray flag
The most high-profile fortnight of Jamie Murray’s career began with him eschewing a chauffeur-driven car and taking the tube to work. Once at the O2 Arena he got his big two weeks off to a perfect start by winning his opening group match at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, in what is his last event alongside Australian partner John Peers (below).
As with everything else for Murray and his brother this week, it is happening in the context of the upcoming Davis Cup final — with Jamie the latest to chip in with his views on the potential selection of newly-qualified Brit Aljaz Bedene.
The world No 45 and GB’s secondhighest ranked player will be in Prague tomorrow to appeal against an International Tennis Federation ruling that bars him from representing his adopted country in the Davis Cup.
Should he win — and the chances are against it — he would immediately become eligible, and the team’s leading doubles player declared that he would be in favour of an immediate call.
‘If they hadn’t changed the rule last November, he would have been available to play all the matches this year,’ said Murray after a 7-6, 3-6, 11-9 victory over Italians Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini.
‘he’s obviously been living in the UK for five or six years now. I hope for his sake that he’s eligible to play.
‘he’s done the right process, cleared all the obstacles that needed to be cleared. They decided to change the rules a couple months before he’s able to participate in Davis Cup. If he gets the green light and does get selected, I’d welcome him with open arms. I’m sure he’ll be a valued member of the team.’
The British squad will be announced tomorrow, with the Bedene decision expected on the same day.
Regardless of whether that is a ‘live’ issue or not, captain Leon Smith has some interesting calls to make for the final against Belgium in Ghent. The venue is about 40 miles from the area of Brussels police believe harboured some of the perpetrators of the Paris terrorist attack.
Smith has to formally nominate four players tomorrow but in reality can choose a squad of how many he likes. however, by the time the draw is made a week on Thursday, he has to commit to a firm four with no further changes allowed.
While Cup stalwart James Ward remains the favourite to play second singles, Kyle edmund, the 20-year-old from Yorkshire, last night pressed his case by beating the formidable Argentinian clay-courter Carlos Berlocq 6-0, 6-4 in the final of the Buenos Aires Challenger event.
It was a fine result for edmund as any clay-court title in South America is not to be underestimated. Smith has been working with him there, where Ward lost in the second round.
A factor working against edmund is that he has never played in the Davis Cup’s unique environment, unlike Dan evans, who last night won a Challenger level tournament of his own in Tennessee on hard court, beating highly-rated American prospect Francis Tiafoe 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
Nothing is as timely, though, as Jamie Murray’s form, as the doubles is a point Britain probably have to bank if the Davis Cup is going to be won. It is possible that Murray and Peers, playing their last tournament before splitting up, could end the season as the world’s No1 pair if they win this event.
In order to do that they will need to finish in the top two of a group that includes the top-ranked Bryan brothers plus the team of Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea.
The last time Murray was at this arena was to watch U2 in concert, but he walked out as the main warm-up act yesterday to Novak Djokovic.
The Scottish-Australian duo should probably have won the first set before a tiebreak that turned at 5-5 when Bolelli double faulted. In the sudden death ‘Champions’ tiebreak the Italians, flamboyant singles players, had the edge at 8-7 before the mercurial Fognini made two errors. Peers and Murray clinched it on their second match point.
All things being equal, Murray will renew his doubles partnership with his younger brother in Ghent, but squeezing through a close match was ideal preparation and one more win should put Jamie into the doubles semi-finals here.
Several thousand British fans are expected to attend the Davis Cup final over the three days, plus a large official party.
The Lawn Tennis Association always have their own security team accompanying the squad to matches, home and away.