Andy Murray explains why he’ll skip Davis Cup after Indian Wells defeat to Alexander Zverev

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Andy Murray has revealed he plans to skip the Davis Cup Finals following his defeat to Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells.

The three-time Grand Slam champion was beaten 6-4 7-6 (7-4) by the current world number three on Tuesday night.

He now looks set to miss the Davis Cup as he does not feel he has the form to warrant being selected for the Great Britain team.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, he said: “I’ve given a lot to the Davis Cup, and sometimes to my own detriment physically. The same thing happened last time I played Davis Cup at the end of 2019. I know there was coronavirus, but I was struggling with that really up until September time the following year.”

“I also don’t feel right now I would be playing, either. Obviously that would be up to Leon, but I’m not sure I deserve to play in that team. Cam [Norrie] and Dan [Evans] have had a great year. Liam Broady’s in and around the top 100 now and we’ve got very strong doubles as well.

“Right now, I’m not planning on playing the Davis Cup and with the late finish to it, and early departure to Australia, with my schedule between now and the end of the year, I am going to have to rest and take a break and give my body a chance to breathe.”

In 2015, Murray was instrumental in winning GB the Davis Cup for the first time in 79 years when he claimed 11 points out of a possible 12.

But over the last three years the former world number one has struggled to find any sort of consistency in his play.

Murray’s standout recent performance came at the US Open in August when he took Stefano Tsitsipas to five sets before eventually being beaten.

The 34-year-old Scot has not advanced beyond the third round of a Grand Slam singles event since Wimbledon in 2017.