NATION NEEDS A MAN ON FIRE
Heat firmly on Andy as Team GB go up against the chilled-out Aussies
AGREAT story. But probably not the story we’ll be talking about at the end of this Davis Cup semi-final. The fact that Dan Evans has already managed t o do t he seemingly i mpossible, overshadowing Andy Murray in Glasgow, doesn’t change the f act that Britain’s hopes of reaching a first final since 1978 will rest square on the shoulders of our greatest ever tennis player.
Sure, there is some heat and noise around Leon Smith gambling on Evans, with Aussie counterpart Wally Masur accurately predicting: ‘If Leon gets it right, he’ll be a genius. If he doesn’t, there will be people ready to stick it to him.’
But the GB captain arguably faces a more important decision when it comes to picking his doubles pairing tomorrow, with changes to the line-up allowed up to an hour before the start.
The Murray boys — never beaten in a Davis Cup rubber — reunited or go with Jamie and fellow in-form doubles specialist Dom Inglot? Will Andy even be fit to play all three days, if required?
The bottom line is that, whether he plays for two points or three, the result here hinges on how Murray performs. At this level, and given the collective strength of a relaxed-looking Australian team, the ‘other’ singles player was always going to be up against it.
The Brits get a chance to make a storming start this afternoon, with Murray — whose Davis Cup singles record of 23 wins from 25 ties merely adds to the aura around him — up first against young Thanasi Kokkinakis, a friend, hitting partner and even former doubles team-mate on Tour.
Murray, who actually looked a little relieved to have the spotlight diverted elsewhere yesterday, certainly won’t underestimate the 19-year-old, saying: ‘It will be a tough match against Kokkinakis.
‘I’ve practised with him a lot and watched him a lot, so I know his game better than I do a lot of the younger guys. We practised before the US Open and French Open — and also played doubles i n Miami. He’s a pretty explosive player.
‘But it’ll be a tough one for him as well. The atmosphere would, I think, be challenging f or them. That’s something they have to deal with — and hopefully something that will give us a boost.’
More than 8,000 will be crammed into the Emirates Arena today and, if the noise generated during GB’s win over the USA earlier this year is any measure, no one will be complaining about a lack of atmosphere.
Asked to compare it to some of the big football nights witnessed just across the road at Celtic Park, Hibs fan Murray said: ‘It’s a big occasion for sure. All the matches we’ve played this year and last year have had excellent atmospheres — Italy away was terrific.
‘In my opinion, the weekend at Queens in the last round was special; there was a lot of French support there and that made it even better.
‘But when we played here in March against the USA it was better still — and I’d expect that this time it’d be even better again.
‘We’re also up against a country against whom, in sporting terms, we have a big rivalry anyway, so that all adds to it.’
As a group and as individuals, the Australians couldn’t be any more laid back without falling asleep on their surfboards. Their eve - of- contest media conference produced more l aughs than the BBC Scotland comedy unit churns out in a year.
Kokkinakis, who sat down at his microphone and asked i f anybody could beatbox, is serious( i sh) about the task facing him today, saying: ‘It should be a great challenge for me, obviously. He’s a great player and to play him on home ground here in Glasgow will be a huge challenge for me.
‘First up tomorrow — I’ll be ready to go. I’m not sure whether knowing him well helps or hinders. I think he knows my game and I know his, although I’ve seen a bit more of him than he has of me.’
That last comment sent team-mate Bernard Tomic off into a fit of the giggles, the Aussie’s top-ranked singles player apologising and explaining: ‘Just the way you said that …’
Experienced Australian
CHELMSFORD CITY Standard skipper Masur, who looks as if he couldn’t be ruffled by a hurricane blowing in, understands better than most the focus that will fall upon both teams — and their captains — over the next three days.
‘As a captain, you make decisions based on what is right at the time — then you get judged in hindsight,’ he said.
‘Leon’s got a versatile t eam. He’s even got decisions to be made, I believe, on the doubles. Does he slot Andy in on day two, depending on how he’s feeling? Dom has
had a good season. So, I guess there will be a lot of second guessing when the tie is over.
‘If he gets it right, he’ll be a genius. If he doesn’t, people will be on to him.
‘When we’ve won, we’ve shared the workload. I basically have four singles players with a doubles team within those four singles players. So, it does give me great versatility.’
Smith, keeping his doubles options open, admitted: ‘ We have Jamie and Dom, who are worldclass doubles players and are extremely confident.
‘The doubles rubber is going to be an extremely important one and, as andy said the other day, you can’t be sure he can play all three days. It’s a big ask for him and I want to have those options for the doubles, absolutely.’
Murray, f or his part, simply added: ‘ I trust Leon’s decision. He has made many tough decisions in the past. There are never any guarantees anyway, but I trust Leon’s decision — and I hope it pays off this weekend.’
That all depends on one guy, doesn’t it?