Davis Cup | GB win consolation point as DC QF line-up is confirmed

The quarter final line-up for the knockout stage of the Davis Cup scheduled for next November in Malaga will feature Canada, Spain, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, the USA, Italy and Croatia.

Moving forwards, it's obviously not going to be easy with the players that we have. Someone like Jack Draper is improving all the time. Then obviously I don't know which way the captain will go with the doubles after the results here Andy Murray

Britain, however, fielding one of their strongest team in many a year, finished third in Group D after losing 2-1 to the USA and The Netherlands and beating Kazakhstan 2-1.

Andy Murray was chosen to play his first singles of the tie after partnering Joe Salisbury in the previous two crucial tight doubles three-set losses which has led to Leon Smith’s team selection being questioned when Neal Skupski, the world No.3 doubles player, was available.

Smith defended his decision telling BBC Sport: “Is it that controversial to put your two highest ranked singles players out there? No!

“Is it controversial to put the number one doubles player in the world out there? No!

“Is it controversial to put Andy Murray out there on the court here in Glasgow? I don’t think so. We believed that was the right thing to do, and that’s on me.”

On Sunday, Murray beat Dmitry Popko 6-3 6-4 while Cameron Norrie lost 4-6 3-6 to Alexander Bublik and in the deciding doubles Salisbury and Skupski defeated Bublik and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 7-6(2) 6-7(9) 7-6(4).

The doubles halted briefly at 8.00pm for all attending to take part in the minutes silence which the nation observed to respect Queen Elizabeth II.

Later the 35-year-old Murray was asked if this would be his last Davis Cup appearance.

“I love playing Davis Cup. It’s different to anything we experience playing on the tour,” he said. “Maybe that’s the last time I play here or get to play for Britain in front of a crowd like that.

“If it is the last time, it’s been amazing what they’ve done for our team.

“Hopefully we get another opportunity to play here in the future,” he added.

“If I’m selected, I’ll definitely, definitely be involved.

“Moving forwards, it’s obviously not going to be easy with the players that we have. Someone like Jack Draper is improving all the time.

“Then obviously I don’t know which way the captain will go with the doubles after the results here.”

Meanwhile a day earlier, the Netherlands beat the USA 2-1 to top Group D

Botic Van de Zandschulp settled the tie when he defeated the world No.12 Taylor Fritz, 6-4 7-6(3) after Tallon Griekspoor opened with a 7-5 7-6 (3) victory over Tommy Paul.

In the doubles, Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock earned some compensation for the Americans by winning their doubles 4-6 7-6 6-4 against Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop.

The Canadan team : Vasek Pospisil, Alexis Galarneau, team captain Frank Dancevic, Gabriel Diallo and Felix Auger Aliassime celebrate qualifying for the 2022 Finals

In other Davis Cup Group matches, Spain just managed to recover to claim second spot in Group B which was won by Canada.

US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz sealed Spain’s quarter final berth in Valencia by beating the 74th world ranked South Korean, Kwon Soon-woo 6-4 7-6(1) after Roberto Bautista Agut had earlier beaten Hong Seong-Chan 6-1 6-3 to redeem themselves following their surprise loss to Canada in their earlier tie when Alcraaz went down to Felix Auger Aliassime.

“Playing the Davis Cup here is an honour for me,” Alcaraz told the crowd after the match. “But it’s even better to come here being No 1 in the world and US Open champion, to share this moment with all my people, my family, my friends.”

In Hamburg, Germany took the top spot in Group C ahead of Australia after doubles pairing Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz’s 6-4 6-4 victory over Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell for 2-1 overall victory.

In the singles, Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Oscar Otte 7-6(6) 6-1 to keep Australia in the tie after Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff eased past Purcell 6-1 7-5.

Germany and Australia had already secured the top two spots in Group C with wins over France and Belgium earlier in the group stage.

In Bologna, Croatia advanced to the last eight thanks to Italy’s 2-1 win over Sweden in Group A.

Croatia, finalists of the 2021 edition, had started the competition with a heavy 3-0 loss to Italy before responding against Sweden (2-1) and then Argentina (3-0) to qualify second in the group.

In the knockout stage due to be played late next November in Malaga will see Spain take on Croatia, Germany the Canadians, Australia The Netherlands and Italy the USA.