| Group stage venues: Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and Valencia Dates: 13-18 September |
| Protection: Reside protection of Nice Britain’s matches on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site and app, with chosen reside textual content commentaries and match studies on the web site and app |
When Andy Murray was watching Nice Britain taking part in in final 12 months’s Davis Cup, he knew instantly he had made a mistake.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, who performed a key function in ending Nice Britain’s 79-year look ahead to a tenth Davis Cup in 2015, selected to overlook the 2021 occasion to concentrate on relaxation.
On the time he mentioned he was “unsure he deserves to play” in Leon Smith’s group when different British gamers have been having fun with nice type.
This 12 months, there was no approach he was simply going to look at on TV – even when he doesn’t find yourself taking part in.
Murray is within the five-man group alongside Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski for Nice Britain’s three group-stage matches in Glasgow this week.
“I regretted not being concerned final 12 months,” Murray, 35, instructed a information convention earlier than Nice Britain open their marketing campaign in opposition to the US on Wednesday.
“I used to be drained and I wasn’t positive if it was one thing I essentially nonetheless wished to be concerned with as a result of all of those guys should compete within the group and whether or not it was essential for me to be there.
“As quickly as I turned the matches on [last year] to begin watching I used to be like ‘What am I doing? Like, it is a mistake’. I wished to be there and be there for the group and try to assist.
“Clearly, I spoke to Leon about that and if I used to be ready to be chosen I wished to be a part of the group once more.”
Murray, whose profession was practically ended when he wanted a hip resurfacing operation in 2019, says he doesn’t essentially count on to play though is feeling bodily “actually good”.
With British primary Norrie, quantity two Evans and Murray all ranked contained in the world’s prime 50 singles gamers, and Salisbury and Skuski the world’s prime and third-ranked doubles gamers, the consensus among the many group is that it’s the finest they’ve ever had by way of depth.
“All of us are taking part in near a few of our greatest tennis and clearly we’re all in-form gamers,” mentioned Norrie, who’s ranked eighth on the planet and reached the fourth spherical of the US Open this month.
Salisbury and Skupski arrive in Glasgow a number of days after assembly within the US Open males’s doubles ultimate, the place Salisbury retained the title alongside his American associate Rajeev Ram.
Whether or not in singles or doubles, if he’s known as upon for the ties in opposition to the US, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands, Murray is able to carry out.
“It is a barely completely different state of affairs than 5 or 10 years in the past once I was taking part in Davis Cup however the job stays the identical,” mentioned the previous world primary, who contributed 11 of the 12 factors Nice Britain wanted to win the Davis Cup seven years in the past.
“I do not count on to play – everybody that’s sitting up right here deserves the chance to compete and if I do not play in any respect then I belief the gamers who go on the market will go and do a fantastic job and win matches for us.
“All of us need the identical factor – the aim is identical for everybody. Simply try to be the most effective team-mate that you could and assist everybody. In case you get known as upon go on the market and provides it your finest and try to get some wins.”
Smith says it’s a “large privilege” to have Murray within the group.
“With Andy he is bought not simply expertise of Davis Cup however the whole lot he has achieved within the sport, the best way he’s on and off the court docket, he is a superb buddy to all of us as properly, to spend time with him is nice enjoyable, we see that aspect quite a bit,” he mentioned.
“He brings quite a bit. He is somebody all of those guys may have watched for years rising up and searching up as a job mannequin, it is nonetheless the case, he is given an terrible lot to British tennis and world tennis – and he continues to take action.”
