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Jamie Murray expects Andy Murray to get Davis Cup nod over partner Neal Skupski despite US Open run


Jamie Murray may be more likely to team up with his brother than his regular doubles partner (Picture: Getty)

Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith may have a healthy selection dilemma ahead of the season-ending Davis Cup.

With Andy Murray working his way back in singles, he could have a solid four-man pool of singles players to choose from, with Dan Evans, Kyle Edmund and Cam Norrie all in and around the world’s top-50, while British doubles has never been in a healthier position.

Whether or not Murray makes it in singles, the former world No. 1 could make himself available to Smith in doubles, which would present the team captain a selection headache.

On paper, the most logical pairing would be Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski.

Murray and Skupski have shown signs of improvement (Picture: Getty Images)

The duo – who teamed up after Murray split with long-term partner Bruno Soares at Roland Garros – just reached the semi-finals of the US Open, losing narrowly to top seeds and eventual champions Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farrah and have shown signs of real improvement since pairing up.

Having a British team working together regularly would bode well for their chances in the format in Madrid, however, Jamie suspects his brother – who he played with in Washington this summer – would get the nod if he declared himself fit for the 18-nation season-ending event.

‘To be honest, I haven’t really thought loads about it,’ Jamie said. ‘I assume if Andy is fit and healthy and he wants to play then it’s difficult to say no to him, isn’t it?

Leon Smith may have a selection headache (Picture: Getty Images)

‘He has obviously played so many important matches for GB and he’s playing high level doubles as well, as he has shown over the last few weeks. It’s difficult to say no to him if he wants to play.

‘But again it’s good that we have got players at the top of the game who are able to do well in big tournaments and big matches. Andy is not going to be there forever, me neither, but there is a good group of guys a few years younger than us who are able to step in and do a job.’

It seems likely that Murray would be keen to get himself involved one way or another and if his singles comeback fails to get lift off in the next couple of months, he may be resigned to playing doubles. There seems little chance of him heading to the Caja Magica just to warm the bench.

Should Andy make it, Skupski would likely be left out completely, with Smith set to include Evans, Edmund, Norrie and Jamie in his five-man squad.





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