Murray named in David Cup squad after claiming ATP title
ANDY Murray has been named in Great Britain’s squad for the new-format Davis Cup in Madrid next month.
GB captain Leon Smith has named four of his five-man team, with Dan Evans, Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski included alongside fit-again Andy Murray.
On Sunday, the former world No.1 claimed his first ATP Tour title for more than two-and-a-half years after beating Stan Wawrinka in the final of the European Open in Antwerp. It was only the sixth singles event the 32-year-old Scot has competed in since returning from the hip resurfacing operation he had in January.
Smith, who will name the team’s fifth player, set to be either Kyle Edmund or Cameron Norrie, in the coming weeks, said in a statement: “I’m delighted to name our first four players to represent GB for the Davis Cup Finals.
“Dan is playing some of the best tennis of his career and firmly deserves his place back inside the world’s Top 50.
“It’s been absolutely fantastic to see Andy back competing again, headlined by his incredible win in Antwerp yesterday.
“Jamie and Neal have been gaining much momentum as a team with impressive semi-final runs at Cincinnati, US Open, Beijing and Shanghai.
“We are in a good positions with improved strength and depth in our team and will be naming the fifth player in the next couple of weeks.
“We are looking forward to bringing our best tennis to the group phase.”
The new-format Davis Cup will have a round-robin stage before the group winners and the next two top teams advance to the knockout stages. The tournament takes place on the hard courts of La Caja Magica in Madrid from November 18-24.
The ties themselves will have two singles matches and one doubles, all of which will be best-of-three tie-break sets. Great Britain are in Group E with Holland and Kazakhstan, who they face on November 20 and 21 respectively.
For Andy Murray, selection for the Davis Cup further bolsters his optimism after his ATP victory in Antwerp – one of the most remarkable achievements of his career.
Murray defeated his old rival
Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final and the emotional moment came only nine months after
Murray shed tears of a very different nature in Australia and admitted right hip problems could force him off court for good.
Instead, he underwent hip resurfacing surgery at the end of January and the operation, something no singles player had attempted to come back from, has been such a success he is now competing with and beating some of the best players in the world.
Murray returned to the singles court in August, winning his first match last month in China, and the pace of his improvement has taken everyone by surprise, not least the man himself.
He said in quotes reported by The Telegraph: “I need to now start talking more about my future and I am certainly a lot more optimistic now.
“When I spoke to my team before the trip to Asia, I was like, ‘What are the goals here?’ And I was like, ‘I just want to be competitive. I want to feel that when I am on the court I am not getting smashed by guys’.
“I wasn’t thinking, ‘I am going to win tournaments’ or ‘I am going to beat guys like Stan and [Matteo] Berrettini’. So this has come as a surprise to me and my team.”
On court, Murray declared this one of his biggest achievements, and no wonder.
The 32-year-old, whose ranking will climb more than 100 places to 127, is now expected to take a break until the Davis Cup finals next month while he waits for the birth of his third child.
GARY Kirsten believes his family circumstances may have counted against him after losing out to Chris Silverwood in the race to become England coach.
Silverwood was named as Trevor Bayliss’ successor earlier this month and is now jetting out to lead the side for the first time in their tour of New Zealand.
However, Silverwood only won through after an interview process that saw Kirsten enter the frame in a big way.
His successful stints in charge of India and his native South Africa made him a strong candidate, and many made him hot favourite, but in the end it was Silverwood who made the strongest case.
Kirsten will instead focus on his franchise work, including his new role with Welsh Fire in The Hundred. Speaking after the competition’s inaugural draft, Kirsten offered up his insistence on taking regular time away as a potential reason for being overlooked.
“It would have been a great opportunity, very exciting. I wouldn’t have flown across the world if it wasn’t,” he said.
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in English cricket.
“I only came over because I was excited by the opportunity. I didn’t get a huge amount of feedback so the only thing I can think of is that I was fairly high risk.
“My kids are little and I placed a huge importance on being able to see them as regularly as I could.
“But I discussed it with my wife. We’ve done it before with India so we know the space, and we said ‘we’ll make it work if we can’.
“It is hectic, without a doubt, probably 250 days year away from home.
“I’d love to get back in to international cricket but I’m not bothered by the decision, everyone makes the call they need to.
“It’s great to be part of The Hundred, actually.
“I was going to lose that if I got the England job and this will be exciting.”
Kirsten will be in charge of England World Cup winners Jonny Bairstow and Liam Plunkett at the Cardiff-based team, and also added
Australia pair Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc during the televised draft.
JOSH DAVEY bowled a brilliant final over as Scotland held their nerve yesterday to stay on course for T20 World Cup qualification with a tense four-run win over Papua New Guinea.
After posting a modest 146-6 at the ICC Academy, Dubai, the Scots were in danger of falling to the second defeat of their campaign.
Indeed, PNG were favourites to pull off a shock win, needing just nine runs from that last over with three wickets still in hand.
But Somerset star Davey claimed two wickets with the first two deliveries, including big-hitting Norman Vanua who had smashed 33 from only 18 balls.
Davey proceeded to restrict the tailenders to four runs from the over as the Scots built on Saturday’s victory over Kenya.
PNG had come out the blocks flying with Asad Vala (20) and Lega Siaka (31) scoring at a healthy rate to put their side in the ascendancy.
Left-arm spin-twins Hamza Tahir (3-24) and Mark Watt (2-23) put Scotland back in control before Vanua’s onslaught had Kyle Coetzer’s men flirting with disaster.
But Davey’s big-game experience proved crucial at the death.
Earlier Coetzer and Matthew Cross were the men that mattered as Scotland were forced to battle for their runs.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, Coetzer played the anchor role to reach his sixth half-century in T20 internationals.
The skipper watched as George Munsey and Calum MacLeod both went cheaply to leave his side on 32-2 before Richie Berrington (22) helped add 48 for the third wicket.
A further two wickets fell in quick succession as Berrington and Oli Hairs departed in the space of two balls.
Coetzer, though, carried on to reach 54 from 47 deliveries with three boundaries and two maximums but when he was out the Scots were still in danger of posting a seriously sub-standard total until Cross chipped-in with a rapid 40no.
The former Aberdeenshire man faced just 23 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a six in what proved to be a crucial knock.
Scotland, now with two wins from three, continue their campaign against Namibia today.
They must win their seven-team group to secure automatic qualification for next year’s global tournament in Australia.
REGIS PROGRAIS reckons
Josh Taylor could crumble under the weight of expectation in his bid to become Scotland’s first unified world boxing champion since Ken Buchanan.
American Prograis’ WBA and Edinburgh-born Taylor’s IBF title will be on the line when the pair lock horns in Saturday’s eagerly-anticipated final of the World Boxing Super Series at the O2 in London.
Both fighters go into the fight with flawless records to date and Prograis has attempted to indulge in mind games before the pay-per-view tussle by insisting
Taylor will be feeling the heat as the home favourite.
Prograis said: “I think it’s going to make me, to be honest. Ask me after the fight, but I am feeling so confident right now and so ready.
“That’s why I came over here, I always wanted to fight in the UK.
“Look how big the fight is now, in the O2 – this is something most people dream about.
“I can’t wait and I think there will be more pressure on him. He has got all his people from Scotland coming.
“The pressure is on him to win, I’ve got my people but I’m going out there to perform.
“I think the pressure will be on him, when you’re fighting in front of your people there is more pressure than fighting away – that’s what I think.”