• Davis Cup

Lloyd criticises Murray's Davis Cup attitude

ESPN staff
March 21, 2010
John Lloyd resigned the captaincy following the defeat against Lithuania © Getty Images
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Andy Murray's reluctance to compete in the Davis Cup will prevent the Great Britain team from returning to the upper echelons of world tennis, according to former captain John Lloyd.

Lloyd resigned the captaincy following Great Britain's ignominious defeat to Lithuania, a loss that has left the team facing a play-off with Turkey to avoid slipping down to the bottom rung of world tennis.

Murray was not available for selection for the Lithuania tie after he announced in January that he would be withdrawing from the team - meaning Lloyd had only one player in his squad with prior experience of a Davis Cup victory.

"When did it come about that someone only played for their country when they had a good team?" Lloyd said to the Mail on Sunday. "Yet the public seem to have accepted Andy should be playing only when the team are in the upper echelons of the competition.

"The reality is that the only way for Britain to get back to the World Group of the Davis Cup is with him in the team.

"Call me old-fashioned, but when is it a convenience, and not a privilege, to play for your country? I know Roger Federer, and other top players, pick and choose when to play in the Davis Cup. But does that make it right?

"If England's football team had failed to qualify for the World Cup, would it be OK for Wayne Rooney to turn round and say that he didn't think he'd bother playing for the international team until they had some proper matches, or a team worthy of his time? Of course not."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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