Andy Murray apologises to British fans and team-mates after missing Davis Cup tie

Shahida Jacobs
September 4, 2018

Andy Murray has issued a heartfelt apology to his British fans and his Davis Cup team-mates after he opted to sit out the tie against Uzbekistan.

The fixture was likely to be the 31-year-old’s last chance to play competitively on home soil in Glasgow, Scotland, as the tournament will undergo a major revamp next year.

However, Murray not feature as he will continue his rehabilitation in the United States following hip surgery.

The three-time Grand Slam winner posted a message on social media to say that it was an “emotionally” and “challenging” decision, but he didn’t want to let the team and fans down.

“I just wanted to write a quick message to apologise to the British davis cup team and all the fans who are coming to watch in Glasgow and support on tv,” he wrote.

He added: “With this possibly being my last chance to compete in Scotland as a professional I really wanted to be there with team and found this decision emotionally quite challenging.

“I had spoken to our captain, Leon, about possibly coming to just play doubles but having been recommended to take a couple of weeks off hitting to continue my reconditioning I didn’t want to just show up not ready to perform to a high enough standard and ultimately let my teammates/country down.

“If I don’t get the chance to compete in Scotland again I just want to say thank you so much to all the fans who have come along to watch and support the team over the years. You have created some incredible atmospheres for me and the team to play in and I will always remember that.”

I just wanted to write a quick message to apologise to the British davis cup team and all the fans who are coming to watch in Glasgow and support on tv. I have genuinely loved competing in this Davis cup format over the course of my career and have had some of the most memorable and special moments (the lob) of my career competing for my country. With this possibly being my last chance to compete in Scotland as a professional I really wanted to be there with team and found this decision emotionally quite challenging. I had spoken to our captain, Leon, about possibly coming to just play doubles but having been recommended to take a couple of weeks off hitting to continue my reconditioning I didn’t want to just show up not ready to perform to a high enough standard and ultimately let my teammates/country down. If I don’t get the chance to compete in Scotland again I just want to say thank you so much to all the fans who have come along to watch and support the team over the years. You have created some incredible atmospheres for me and the team to play in and I will always remember that. Having been born in Glasgow and growing up in Scotland I would never have imagined I would see such passionate fans packing out stadiums for tennis matches. Playing with my Big Bro in those stadiums has been very very special. Thank you so much again.. I’ll miss you 😢👋 🎼 by yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes🎼 #tennis

A post shared by Andy Murray (@andymurray) on Sep 3, 2018 at 8:18pm PDT