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19:20 GMT, Sunday, 21 September 2008 20:20 UK

Murray questions fighting spirit

By Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Andy Murray

British number one Andy Murray hit out at the approach of his GB team-mates after the Davis Cup defeat by Austria.

Alex Bogdanovic's loss to Alex Peya in Sunday's final rubber meant Britain were relegated from the World Group.

Murray said: "The guys in the other matches didn't get the crowd involved. When Alex fell behind, I didn't see any fist-pumps or hear any 'Come-ons'.

"Even if you're breaking racquets I don't care - I just want to see you're desperate to win the match."

Murray added: "In both my matches I showed a lot of emotion and got the crowd involved.

"You have to take advantage of home support. It should be a huge advantage. That's why home teams win 82% of Davis Cup matches.

"The crowd in my match was very good. In Alex's match it looked as if a lot of people left and the atmosphere was not very good."

"Andy, in his subtle way, is trying to give everyone a kick up the backside and I see nothing wrong with that"
John Lloyd

Bogdanovic did not disagree with Murray, adding: "I agree with what he's (Murray) saying. It comes down to personalities.

"When I get pumped up it takes too much out of me. I was trying to stay calm."

GB captain John Lloyd admitted after the defeat that he expected more from the rest of his team.

"All our guys, all the way down the list, can all work harder," he said. "Andy, in his subtle way, is trying to give everyone a kick up the backside and I see nothing wrong with that.

"He's the man now, and if that's his message, it's up to Alex and the guys to see that message. If they don't, they're in the wrong game.

"Alex has been around for a lot of years. For him it's a question of where his commitment wants to go from here. How far does he want to go up the ladder?

606: DEBATE
"The good things that have happened to British tennis this year – Andy Murray’s US Open performance and rise to world no.4, Laura Robson’s triumph in the Wimbledon girls’ tournament – are untarnished by Davis Cup defeat"
Tom Fordyce - BBC Sport

"Does he want to remain in the 150s (in the rankings) or make that extra push - he's probably got an extra 25% but does he want that? That is for him to decide."

Murray denied that Lloyd's decision to leave him out of Saturday's doubles had affected the tie's outcome.

In his absence, his brother Jamie and Ross Hutchins were beaten in straight sets by Jurgen Melzer and Julian Knowle.

"The doubles wasn't the reason we lost the tie," he said. "Alex was in the position to win his match.

"He started off great and had his chances in the second set to seize the moment, go on and finish the set off, because Peya was starting to struggle."

Murray had earlier seen off Melzer in his second singles match to bring the tie level, but was noticeably absent from the stands as Bogdanovic capitulated feebly a few hours later.

Alex Bogdanovic After his win, Peya admitted that noisy support he enjoyed from his team-mates had been a big help for him.

"That's what the Davis Cup is all about - the team sticking together and supporting each other as a team," he said.

And Austria's captain Gilbert Schaller said: "The most important thing for me with this win was great team-work. The key factor was that the atmosphere was great throughout the week."

But Murray denied that his decision to watch the climax of the tie in the locker-room had been misguided.

"Sometimes you can see what's going on better on the TV," he said.

"I don't really think that what the bench is doing has any impact on the match. Alex doesn't look towards the bench for support, so whether we're there or not doesn't make a huge difference.

"It's rough. I won both my matches, I want to know that everyone else on the team wants to win as badly as I do, and I hope that that's the case.

"If I finish playing a Davis Cup tie and I don't feel the whole team is desperate to win and will give everything they can to win the tie, then that's what will de-motivate me."



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Related to this story:

Bogdanovic beaten as GB lose tie (21 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Bogdanovic v Peya as it happened (21 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Murray v Melzer as it happened (21 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Davis Cup photos (21 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Lloyd stands by Murray exclusion (20 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Austria sweep GB aside in doubles (20 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
GB level as Murray crushes Peya (19 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Melzer rallies to beat Bogdanovic (19 Sep 08 |  Tennis )
Tennis on the BBC (13 Sep 08 |  Tennis )

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