Andy Murray happy to support from sidelines in Belgrade Davis Cup tie
Sunday 17 July 2016 09:57, UK
Andy Murray has kept his promise to travel and support Great Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia this weekend.
The Wimbledon champion elected not to play in the quarter-final in Belgrade, opting to rest and recuperate after claiming his third Grand Slam title on Sunday.
Captain Leon Smith said Murray would still have an important role to play from the sidelines, but the British No 1 insisted he would not be taking a leading role.
"I am not here to coach any of the guys, just try to help where I can," Murray said.
"There's been obviously a number of ties where the guys that are here helped me a bunch and helped the rest of the team out so if there's anything they need me or want me to do I'm here.
"I'm not going to start telling anybody what to do. If anyone wants to ask me anything I will try and help wherever I can and just support the team."
In the absence of Murray, 21-year-old Kyle Edmund will now face Janko Tipsarevic in the first rubber of the tie on Friday but the Scot is expecting a bold showing despite Edmund's lack of experience.
"I am sure Kyle will be fine," Murray added. "Everyone deals with situations differently, but being number one player makes no difference.
"He has played in the Davis Cup final, that's tough, it was his first Davis Cup match and he handled it extremely well even though he didn't win the match and he is very good on the clay courts. I would expect him to be nervous but to play well."
Murray has no regrets about his decision to forego the Davis Cup and is focusing his mind on the defence of his Olympic title and the US Open in September.
He said: "I obviously would have loved to have played but it was going to be quite a tight turnaround and, after chatting to my team, I wasn't going to be able to do it.
"But I am happy to be here and just try and help, but it's tough not to want to hit some balls. I just hope the guys can do it. They've got a good chance if they play well, but it's going to be tough.
"I feel more motivated than I did last time I won Wimbledon for sure. I'm really pumped for the next few months and the end of the year and then I'll see what I've got."
Ward will play the second singles match against Serbian No 1 Dusan Lajovic while Saturday's doubles rubber will see Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot against Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic before the reverse singles on Sunday.
