In less than a week the multi-million dollar ATP Finals will get underway in the O2 Arena. As the eight highest ranked players on the men’s tour make their final preparations ahead of the season-ending tournament, there is one player who is willing to jeopardise his ATP Finals success for a bigger dream for his country.
Andy Murray will not be conducting intense training on a hardcourt, a similar surface to the one at the O2 Arena, instead he will be training on the clay until Thursday. Murray will lead his team in the final of the Davis Cup against Belgium. It will be the first time that Great Britain has played in the Davis Cup final since 1978 as they bid to win the title for the first time since 1936. The upcoming clash will occur a week after the ATP Finals in Belgium.
Since grabbing the three crucial wins (two singles and one doubles with his brother Jamie) during Great Britain’s Davis Cup semifinal against Australia, Murray has maintained that his commitment and the main focus will be on the Davis Cup final and not the year-end finals.
“It’s a tournament I enjoy playing and it’s a nice reward for the hard work you put in throughout the year. But, you know, the Davis Cup is my main priority between that and the end of the year. I want to make sure I’m fit and healthy for that.” Murray said.
It is very admirable for a player to openly admit that he is prepared to compromise his chances at the O2 Arena for another tournament considering the prize money involved. In the ATP Finals players received a £10,000 attendance payment followed by £100,000 for each match won. If a player claims the title without losing, they will receive approximately £1.3 Million.
Nevertheless, everything isn’t always about the money and Murray is a prime example of this. His commitment to the Davis Cup team in 2015 has been one of the best in the entire Davis Cup this year considering his other commitments around the world. The 28-year-old also has a passion for his team and wants them to do well. During his press conferences throughout the Davis Cup semifinal, Murray focused his eyes on two things. One at the media bombarding him questions and the other fixated on the TV screen to monitor to see how his teammates are doing.
The enthusiasm from a high ranked player such as Murray is exactly what the Davis Cup and Fed Cup is about. A large majority of the tennis season can be a lonely place for players travelling around the world to numerous tournaments. Therefore the chance to work together as a group and play for your country enable players to engage and feel part of a team. It is also a valuable experience for the lower ranked players to watch and learn techniques from the more established players and vice versa.
It is inevitable that throughout the ATP Finals next week that Murray will be questioned heavily about his decision to practice on clay in the lead up to the $7 million ATP finals. The thing is, why should Murray be criticised or question about playing on clay? Throughout the past two months he has consistently been honest about his commitment to the Davis Cup and the sacrifices he is prepared to make to his own season to help his teams. It is for this reason that the Scot shouldn’t be questioned about his commitment to the year-end final. Instead, he should be praised for his commitment to help his team instead of solely focusing on his own performance. Andy Murray is an example of what makes a great Davis Cup player and how to work in a team. An example which shouldn’t be criticised, but followed.
