Andy Murray marks his return to the UK Davis Cup squad for the group finale happening in Manchester from September 12-17. GB will compete in Group B, paired with teams from Australia, France, and Switzerland. Under Leon Smith’s guidance, the team is striving for a top-two slot to make it to the knockout rounds. Simultaneously, over in Valencia, an anticipated clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic is on the horizon.
For the group stage finals set in Manchester from September 12-17, Andy Murray makes his comeback to the UK Davis Cup team. The past world No. 1 missed out on the GB team that celebrated a 3-1 victory over Colombia earlier in February, as Jack Draper received the nod instead. Now at 36, Murray is back in the lineup for the forthcoming games against Australia, France, and Switzerland.
Recalling the 2015 Davis Cup, the three-time Grand Slam winner cherishes his instrumental role that saw Britain end a 79-year trophy drought. Joining him in the team are the UK No. 1 Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, and the Wimbledon men’s doubles victor Neal Skupski.
Interestingly, Skupski’s selection stands out as he’s uniquely a doubles specialist, hinting possible tweaks in the final roster. Smith retains the discretion to adjust the team up to a day before the inaugural match. Smith’s crew has their sights on a top-two rank within Group B, setting the stage for their potential knockout rounds in Malaga come November.
Smith conveyed to the LTA portal, “The anticipation for the Davis Cup match in Manchester is immense, especially given our long hiatus from North West fixtures. The crowd’s vibrancy will be palpable. Our assembled squad, rich in Davis Cup experience, is geared up to confront this challenging group.”
The ties will comprise two singles and one doubles match, with the detailed itinerary being:
- September 12 (Tuesday): France vs. Switzerland
- September 13 (Wednesday): UK vs. Australia
- September 14 (Thursday): Australia vs. France
- September 15 (Friday): UK vs. Switzerland
- September 16 (Saturday): Australia vs. Switzerland
- September 17 (Sunday): UK vs. France
FACE-OFF ALERT: ALCARAZ VS. DJOKOVIC
An encore of the Wimbledon final in July is imminent as Carlos Alcaraz prepares to battle Novak Djokovic during the Davis Cup. Spain and Serbia find themselves in Group C, alongside the Czech Republic and South Korea, with the contests slated for Valencia.
The leading players will champion their national teams. Spain will feature Alcaraz in alliance with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Marcel Granollers. Meanwhile, Djokovic, representing Serbia, joins forces with Laslo Djere, Miomir Kecmanovic, Dusan Lajovic, and Hamad Medjedovic.
In other groupings, the current titleholders, Canada, sit in Group A with Italy, Sweden, and Chile. Group D has a mix of Croatia, the Netherlands, the USA, and Finland.
