Andy withdraws from Davis Cup tie

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Andy withdraws from Davis Cup tie

steven · Tennis legend

Madeline wrote:
That being said, I never wanted us to get into the World Group in the first place. I think because of our lack of depth, we would be better off playing at a lower level and trying to form a good DC team from the players coming up.

There's definitely a good argument that that might be better. If we were down at a level where the likes of Boggo and Baker had a realistic chance of winning a few matches, they'd be far more confident when they got back up to the higher levels again, feeling that they had contributed to the success and deserved to be there. Whereas at the moment, it's a case of will Andy play and win two or three rubbers, with the no. 2 singles player never likely to have much chance of winning a match.

CBV · Junior player

Even if we can't agree on whether it is disgraceful or not of andy to pull out, surely if the bbc are right about this:

Lloyd, who revealed he had not been called by Murray and had to find out the news through a third party, added: "I think he's very disappointed, he says he is, and we're waiting to hear from him.

then andy has really went a bit too far..

john · Top national player

Sorry, but that's totally shocking and disgusting. I think we all know Andy only played Davis Cup because he felt obliged due to the Brad Gilbert contract. Now that he's sacked him and lumbered the LTA with an expensive coach and no player to work with, he's stabbed them in the back in a big way.

Drew · Jan 31, 2008

john wrote:

Sorry, but that's totally shocking and disgusting. I think we all know Andy only played Davis Cup because he felt obliged due to the Brad Gilbert contract. Now that he's sacked him and lumbered the LTA with an expensive coach and no player to work with, he's stabbed them in the back in a big way.

John,

You are makning so many statements based on how upset you are rather than on any confirmed knowledge. I understand how you feel.

Andy should have informed JL directly no doubt. Dont know why...again we do not know all the details.

Any top 20 player with an injury will pull out of any DC tie. No argument.

Again some people are shooting from opinion rather than knowledge "dont believe he is not injured..."

From my small amount of contact with the Murrays and watching him play DC tennis from in close I just do not believe he is not committed to DC tennis.

He would be there if his knee was 100%. It does seem though that this could have been agravated by the new training regime. Gilbert maybe smirking at that !

My choice would be for Andy to play all the DC ties and be world number 9,8,7...

If he makes a judgement call on his fitness and its between playing 3 days on a clay court and possibly then missing several weeks off the tour....you also have to remember what happend last year with the wrist.

Do we really want to loose 3-2 in the DC cup and then see Murray out for several weeks ?

Really hard to call...but he gets my benefit of the doubt....just.

Shhh · Challenger level

Drew wrote:

John,

You are makning so many statements based on how upset you are rather than on any confirmed knowledge. I

And with respect Drew, I believe you are making your judgement based on what you WANT to believe rather than the feedback leaking out through the media. Based on what we know so far, and that may change I accept, I would argue Andy's behaviour has been selfish. I also think that there is a strong argument against the LTA for the way they appear to have pandered to Andy which, IMO, may have contributed to the way in which he has shown them apparently little respect.

Its all about opinions at the end of the day, its not the sort of episode we'll ever get hard facts to, just different versions.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Drew wrote:

Do we really want to loose 3-2 in the DC cup and then see Murray out for several weeks ?

Simon Barnes, in Monday's Times, clearly wouldn't:

Loyalty card that will never be part of Andy Murrays strongest suit

Great Britain managed to win 20 games in the live matches of their Davis Cup tie in Argentina. Thats not very many, is it? Meanwhile, Andy Murray has been elsewhere. Apparently he is injured. How shall I put this? Well, as injuries go, I think we can rule out the question of amputation. In fact, the chances of his being fit for the beginning of the Marseilles Open 13 today are pretty well 100 per cent. Astonishing, eh?

Was he shamming? Perish la pensée! But all the same, perhaps this is the moment to jump up and down and froth at the mouth and excoriate young Murray for his disloyalty, his treachery, his rat-like leaving of a sinking ship. Sorry, Im not really in the mood for that. Davis Cup tennis is great - one of the ultimate tests of sporting bottle but it needs two reasonably well-matched teams. This was always a mismatch and if Murray didnt fancy going halfway round the world for an heroic defeat, I cant entirely blame him.

Call of duty? But Murray, being a "stand up and be counted" Scot, has a different feeling about Britain from the English and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Gratitude? Murray came through the junior ranks in spite of rather than because of the LTA, decamping to Spain to work in the right environment. True, the LTA has invested a lot of money in him subsequently, but thats very much in its own interest. What Murray needs, what the LTA needs, what we who watch need, is not one more plucky-Brit defeat, but a resurgent Murray whizzing up the rankings, holding a top-ten slot and climbing and winning tournaments. Murray follows the tournament in Marseilles with Rotterdam and Dubai and then has two big American hard-court tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. He was a semi-finalist in both of those last year, so that means that if he does less well, he will slip backwards. Thats how the system works; he has ranking points to defend. So Murrays backsliding makes sense and I am not inclined to clobber him too hard well, not if he is out there winning matches, anyway. In sport, victory forgives most things. Murray owes us a few victories, then.

* "Loose"? Don't you mean "lose", Drew? wink

Shhh · Challenger level

And in Wednesdays Times David Llyod is quoted;

Lets be honest, Andy Murray has put himself before his country and if I was in charge I wouldnt pick him again. Hes playing in a tournament in Marseilles this week that doesnt mean anything to anyone. The public arent fooled. He had extremely bad advice, he was wrong not to give it [Britains Davis Cup tie in Argentina] a go. I was out there dying when I played for my country and if someone is going to lead the team I play in, I want him to be prepared to die for the team. What was he thinking?

As I said previously, its all peoples versions, and I am sure they will keep differing.