For thus lengthy, Andy Murray has been the epicentre of British tennis.
It goes with out saying the game won’t be the identical with out a celebrity who introduced unparalleled success, shifted the dial of expectation and raised requirements throughout the board.
Robust showings by Britain’s subsequent era on the latest US Open, although, offered optimism for anybody worrying how the void is likely to be stuffed.
With New York semi-finalist Jack Draper receiving a hero’s welcome on his return dwelling, the Davis Cup occasion in Manchester offered the chance to gauge the temper with out the talismanic Murray.
Despite the fact that the boys’s staff have been in the end unable to progress to the quarter-finals stage in entrance of a report 15,700 crowd, the feelgood issue was not diminished.
“We have moved on from Andy Murray. We’re not trying again to the previous. We’re seeking to the longer term,” mentioned Jan Harris, a long-time member of the British Affiliation of Tennis Supporters (BATS).
Emma Raducanu, who’s the one Briton apart from Murray to win a Grand Slam singles title up to now 20 years, drew criticism for saying tennis “moves on quickly”, external within the wake of his retirement.
In fact, it was a practical evaluation which has been echoed by many on the Manchester Enviornment over the previous week.
“Andy was a once-in-a-lifetime participant and an unimaginable asset for our sport, by way of elevating visibility and bringing new followers into tennis,” mentioned LTA chief govt Scott Lloyd.
“However the future can also be trying vivid.”