GREAT BRITAIN
AND EVANS
Kyle Edmund
ANDY MURRAY
JAMIE MURRAY
Neal Skupski
AND EVANS
Kyle Edmund
ANDY MURRAY
JAMIE MURRAY
Neal Skupski
10-time Davis Cup champion England saw the dominant force in Group E without striking a ball yet. While all eyes will be on the rise again Andy Murray in the final of the Davis Cup, the UK has a very good squad of big-game player in both singles and doubles. Jamie Murray is still one of the best doubles players around and although he can also partnered with brother Andy for a thrilling spectacle, it also has a seasoned pro at Neal Skupski, with whom he has played many times. And Evans will be very important in maintaining the three doubles match formalities fixtures in the group stage along with either Andy Murray or Kyle Edmund, who recently fled to overcome horrendous shape.
NETHERLANDS
Robin Haase
Tallon GRIEKSPOOR
Botic VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Wesley Koolhof
JEAN-JULIEN Rojer
Dutch veteran Robin Haase made things interesting against Kazakhstan when he beat Alexander Bublik their young star in three sets, but unfortunately for the Netherlands it is only one person. Mikhail Kukushkin made light work of Botic Van de Zandschulp and Kazakhstan pair defeated the Dutch duo in straight sets to win the match 2-1. The Netherlands has never reached the grand final of the Davis Cup.
England vs Netherlands Match
Brits bidding for their first title since 2015, when Andy Murray led the way as they ended their long title drought in the competition. It was in 2015 their first success since 1936 and tenth overall.
Murray again part of the 2019 squad in Madrid after recovering from a career-threatening hip injury. It was less than 12 months ago that the former world No 1 tells the world that he plans to retire at Wimbledon, even suggested that the Australian Open could be his last tournament if his hip does not hold up well, but he has made a recovery dramatically after the operation, claimed the title in the most recent tournament in Antwerp in mid-September.
Although pushed back from injury, Murray is still very much improved, and are naturally wary of putting too much burden on him in Madrid this week.
"Playing five games in five days, the best of three sets, it was definitely something we do regularly on tour and I do so in Antwerp and felt OK at the end of it", said Murray. "If I had played doubles together today because some of their singles match in Antwerp, I would really struggle the next day ".
"So we just need to pay attention to it and think a little bit the long run in this event."
Good news for Murray and the UK is that the captain Leon Smith has enough cover in the squad should he wish to rotate his side. And Evans, at No. 42 in the world, in Madrid as British No 1, while Kyle Edmund, who is an Australian Open semi-finalist last season and spent the second half of this year in the top-20, is also present in Madrid. Edmund was initially left out of the squad, after having run wretched form of eight defeats in a row and fell out of the top 70, but he showed improved form lately and has been receiving calls for the squad.
Both Evans and Edmund higher ranking than Murray, who was 126th in the world, but the two-time Wimbledon champion brings a wealth of experience to the table. Murray has a record in Davis Cup singles match 30-3 while Evans is 7-14 and Edmund is 3-5.
