Great Britain has suffered a blow to their chances of Davis Cup glory after Andy Murray was forced to pull out of the event on Saturday.
The former world No.1 has withdrawn from the tournament, which is being held in the Spanish city of Malaga, due to what he describes as a minor shoulder injury. Murray is the second Brit to pull out of the competition after Dan Evans who is nursing a calf injury.
“I’ve picked up a minor shoulder injury which means I won’t be able to take part in the Davis Cup,” Murray said in a statement issued by the LTA. “I’m gutted not to be part of the squad but my focus is now on rehab and getting ready for the new season.”
Britain is set to take on a strong Serbian team which includes Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals on November 23rd. Captain Leon Smith is now almost certain to use Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie for the singles matches. The doubles team will be Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski.
Murray’s latest injury blow comes shortly after he decided to part ways with coach Ivan Lendl for the third time in his career. He has experienced a roller-coaster 2023 season that ended with him losing to Alex de Minaur at the Paris Masters despite leading the final set 5-2. He hasn’t won back-to-back matches on the Tour since August.
“Ivan has been by my side at the biggest moments in my career, and I can’t thank him enough for all that he’s helped me achieve,” Murray said earlier this month. “He’s a unique character who understands what it takes to win, and I’ve learned an awful lot over the years from him.”
Murray is currently ranked 42nd in the world and has won 16 out of 33 Tour-level matches played this year. He is one out of four British men currently ranked in the top 100.
