Britain 'looking to bright future' in post-Murray era

For truthful long, Andy Murray has been the epicentre of British tennis.

It goes without saying the athletics volition not beryllium the aforesaid without a superstar who brought unparalleled success, shifted the dial of anticipation and raised standards crossed the board.

Strong showings by Britain's adjacent procreation astatine the caller US Open, though, provided optimism for anyone worrying however the void mightiness beryllium filled.

With New York semi-finalist Jack Draper receiving a hero's invited connected his instrumentality home, the Davis Cup lawsuit successful Manchester presented the accidental to gauge the temper without the talismanic Murray.

Even though the men's squad were yet incapable to advancement to the quarter-finals signifier successful beforehand of a grounds 15,700 crowd, the feelgood origin was not diminished.

"We've moved connected from Andy Murray. We're not looking backmost to the past. We're looking to the future," said Jan Harris, a long-time subordinate of the British Association of Tennis Supporters (BATS).

Emma Raducanu, who is the lone Briton different than Murray to triumph a Grand Slam singles rubric successful the past 20 years, drew disapproval for saying tennis "moves connected quickly", external successful the aftermath of his retirement.

In truth, it was a pragmatic appraisal which has been echoed by galore astatine the Manchester Arena implicit the past week.

"Andy was a once-in-a-lifetime subordinate and an unthinkable plus for our sport, successful presumption of raising visibility and bringing caller fans into tennis," said LTA main enforcement Scott Lloyd.

"But the aboriginal is besides looking bright."

British fig 1 Draper arrived successful Manchester caller from his exploits successful New York, receiving an ebullient ovation from the arrogant location supporters who recognised the cleanable timing of his success.

Long considered arsenic the heir to Murray, Draper's breakout Grand Slam show came successful the archetypal large since the erstwhile satellite fig one's retirement.

Leading the hopes of the nation, successful the Davis Cup astatine least, is simply a work which has already been bestowed upon Draper.

"I deliberation helium volition grip it well. We can't shy distant from it - helium volition beryllium a focal point," said Leon Smith, caput of British men's tennis and Davis Cup captain.

"But that is wherefore it is important to person different players up to enarthrosis immoderate of that."

Draper is the lone British subordinate aged 22 oregon nether presently successful the men's apical 250, though 23-year-old Jacob Fearnley has entered the speech aft soaring up to a career-high 129th by sweeping up his 3rd ATP Challenger rubric of the year.

On the women's side, 21-year-old Raducanu - backmost wrong the apical 75 aft seeing her advancement derailed by injuries - is the evident prime erstwhile predicting who mightiness situation astatine the precise top.

Sonay Kartal is the lone different Briton aged 22 oregon nether wrong the women's apical 100. A puerility rival of 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, she crowned her caller acceleration with a maiden WTA rubric connected Sunday.

And what astir the adjacent younger endowment coming through? The eye-catching performances of the British juniors astatine the US Open bode well.

Mika Stojsavljevic, 15, provided the cleanable pick-me-up from Draper's exit by winning the girls' singles a time later, portion 16-year-old Mimi Xu and 17-year-old Charlie Robertson showed their immense imaginable by reaching the past four.

Henry Searle, 18, is continuing his improvement aft becoming the archetypal Briton to triumph the Wimbledon boys' singles past year.

Then determination is Hannah Klugman, a 15-year-old who won the prestigious Orange Bowl rubric past year.

“There is simply a feelgood origin astatine the moment, determination is nary doubt," said seasoned Dan Evans, who became Britain's 2nd astir capped Davis Cup subordinate past week.

"There are immoderate bully stories but determination is simply a large quality betwixt the stories and putting it retired determination connected the court."

Murray has been the main protagonist successful British tennis for the past 2 decades, but determination has been enactment from others who person created storylines.

Only Raducanu has managed to triumph a Grand Slam singles title, however, pursuing her fairytale of New York arsenic a teenage qualifier.

Johanna Konta reached 3 large semi-finals betwixt 2016 and 2019, with Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie matching that feat astatine the 2018 Australian Open and 2022 Wimbledon.

Added to that, Jamie Murray, Joe Salisbury, Neal Skupski and Henry Patten person each lifted Grand Slam doubles trophies since 2016.

So what constitutes occurrence for British tennis - present and successful aboriginal years? It is simply a constituent which has been debated for astir of the past 2 decades.

Is it much Grand Slam singles champions similar Murray and Raducanu?

Is it much players ranked wrong the world's apical 100?

Or is it attaining larger information figures crossed the nation?

"Of course, the reply is we strive towards each of these," said Lloyd.

"Having Grand Slam champions is nary mean feat but of people having players spell heavy successful the biggest events brings visibility and inspiration for each our tennis fans and subordinate base, and helps to promote youngsters to prime up a racquet.

"The much players we person competing successful the apical 200 successful the satellite helps propulsion and propulsion each our players to the champion they tin be."

Currently determination are six players - Draper, 28-year-old Katie Boulter, 29-year-old Norrie, 28-year-old Harriet Dart, Raducanu and caller entrant Kartal - successful the singles apical 100s.

Billy Harris, who made his Davis Cup debut aged 29 past week, and 34-year-old Evans are among different 8 Britons ranked wrong the apical 200.

"When you look backmost astatine the information that astatine immoderate points Andy was our lone antheral subordinate successful apical 200 of the rankings, we surely person acold much extent these days," said Lloyd.

However, that pales successful examination to the numbers produced by Australia, France and the United States - who, similar Britain, person the payment of being a cash-rich Grand Slam nation.

All 3 nations person beardown numbers successful the ATP apical 100, though Australia lone person 1 subordinate successful the WTA apical 100.

Argentina, who bushed Britain successful the Davis Cup connected Friday, and Italy besides person spot successful extent connected the ATP side, portion Russia and the Czech Republic person produced talented pools successful the WTA.

"We would emotion to person what Argentina person but I support saying clip and clip again, we don't person the numbers oregon ecosystem yet to let that to happen," added Smith.

As immoderate fans already look to the future, it volition beryllium fascinating to spot the post-Murray effect connected British involvement successful the sport.

Put simply, Murray has stuck bums connected seats. The signs, though, person been encouraging.

The opening Davis Cup necktie against Finland - played connected a midweek day during schoolhouse term-time - was watched by astir 6,500 fans.

Crowds built steadily passim the week-long lawsuit and culminated successful a sell-out 15,700 attendance connected Sunday.

"Whether you similar it oregon not, Andy Murray sold the tickets earlier - that's the bottommost line. That's however we got radical done the door," said Evans.

"So without him, getting implicit 15,000 is an exceptional effort."

Setting a caller British Davis Cup grounds - adjacent erstwhile the chances of Smith's squad earning a cleanable expanse of Canada to advancement - was rather the statement.

So however tin the temper of the contiguous post-Murray scenery beryllium summed up?

While observing successful a metropolis which loves to commercialized connected its philharmonic heritage, a enactment from seminal Manchester indie band, the Stone Roses, succinctly does the job.

'The past was yours. But the future's mine.'