Davis Cup duty means Andy Murray will miss family funeral

Great Britain's Jamie Murray (centre left) and Leon Smith (centre right) speak with Andy Murray (right) and Kyle Edmund (left) during the training session at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow.

Gordon Murray, the father of Andy and Jamie’s father Willie, died last week.

Murray missed yesterday’s press conference at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, reportedly so he could attend a family gathering, but Jamie was present. The older Murray brother will only play in the doubles rubber tomorrow and will therefore be able to attend the funeral.

At the same time, Andy will be playing in the standout – and potentially decisive – rubber against Juan Martin Del Potro, which opens the tie.

Great Britain's Andy Murray during the training session at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA .

The pair battled against each other for more than four hours in the Olympic gold medal match in Rio last month, with Murray eventually coming out on top.

Del Potro’s status as only the third-ranked Argentina player, as he continues to work his way back from a long absence during which he underwent three wrist operations, lent an unusual level of intrigue to the draw.

Normally the big singles matches take place on Sunday, but Guido Pella was given the nod to be Argentina’s No 1 ahead of the higher-ranked Federico Delbonis and will play Beverley’s Kyle Edmund today.

Argentina captain Daniel Orsanic, though, had no qualms in declaring Del Potro his side’s most important player.

Beverley's Kyle Edmund during the training session at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA.

“Without a doubt,” he said. “I think he’s going through a very good moment. His comeback I think is good for the world of tennis so you can imagine what it means for us Argentinians.”

Del Potro followed up his stunning Olympic run, where he defeated Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, by reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open.

GB captain Leon Smith opted to name both Edmund and fellow singles player Dan Evans in his four-man team ahead of Dom Inglot.

That removed the back-up doubles option, meaning Andy will once again be asked to play with Jamie tomorrow and compete on all three days.

The 29-year-old has admitted to fatigue following a hectic summer that saw him win both Wimbledon and the Olympics, but Smith is confident he can produce more heroics.

Edmund, who led Britain to victory in the quarter-final against Serbia in July in Andy’s absence, was given the nod ahead of Evans for today’s opening clashes.