Murray’s emotional apology to Scots

ANDY MURRAY has written a heartfelt message to Scottish tennis fans after opting not to play in Great Britain’s Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan in Glasgow next week. With the change of format meaning fewer home ties and uncertainty over his future participation in the competition, it could have been the 31-year-old’s final chance to play competitively on home soil. Murray will instead stay in the United States for further rehabilitation on his troublesome right hip as he looks to find a way back to the top of the game. In a long message on Instagram, Murray highlighted the many memorable moments the competition has given him, not least the four ties in 2015 in which he led Britain to the title alongside brother Jamie. ‘I just wanted to write a quick message to apologise to the British Davis Cup team and all the fans who are coming to watch in Glasgow and support on TV,’ said Murray. ‘I have loved competing in this Davis Cup format over the course of my career and have had some of the most special moments (the lob) of my career competing for my country. ‘With this possibly being my last chance to compete in Scotland as a professional, I found this decision emotionally quite challenging. ‘Having been recommended to take a couple of weeks off to continue my reconditioning, I didn’t want to show up not ready to perform to a high standard and ultimately let my team-mates/country down. ‘If I don’t get the chance to compete in Scotland again, I want to say thank you so much to all the fans who have come along to watch and support the team over the years.’ With Kyle Edmund also missing the tie for health reasons, Britain will be represented by Jamie Murray, Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jay Clarke and Dominic Inglot.