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 A glance at the respective depth of the two sides contesting the
semi-final would appear to question that wisdom, but with talisman
Andy Murray in their ranks and an expected vociferous crowd in
Glasgow, the momentum is with the hosts.
While Britain claimed the last of their nine titles in 1936, Belgium
have never won the team competition and will also approach their
home semi-final against Argentina in Brussels with opportunity
knocking loudly on the door.
Australia's cause has not been helped by volatile talent Nick
Kyrgios being left out after a spate of disciplinary problems, yet
they still boast a line-up consisting of world number 23 Bernard
Tomic, Thanasi Kokkinakis, big-serving Sam Groth and former world
number one Lleyton Hewitt who is bidding for a golden finale to a
career that will end in January.
Britain, though, have Murray -- two of them in fact with Andy's
less-celebrated brother Jamie fresh from reaching the U.S. Open
doubles final with Australian John Peers.
"If we're being honest, if we've got Andy in our team then we've got
a great chance to beat anyone," Jamie told the ITF's website in the
build-up to the tie.
His younger brother's contribution to Britain's cause has been
immense, building a 23-2 record in singles rubbers to steer his
country out of the Davis Cup wilderness they inhabited in 2010 when
they nearly dropped into the bottom division.
In July he dredged every last drop of energy to win three matches
against France in the World Group quarter-finals, clinching the
decisive point despite being almost on his knees against Gilles
Simon at Queen's Club.
He also won both his singles against the U.S. in round one.
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But he will need help, from brother Jamie, and either Kyle Edmund or
James Ward who are vying for the second singles spot.
The 20-year-old Edmund, ranked 100 in the world, suffered an injury
scare this week, but is relishing a red-hot debut.
"It'll be a great experience if I get chosen to play, but whoever
plays is going to do the best for the team, for the crowd, for the
country, it's the team that matters," he said.
Hewitt, 34, will be a formidable foe, whichever role he plays and
his desire will no doubt rub off on his team mates.
"We won't be leaving anything in the locker room, that's for
certain," he said as 28-times champions Australia seek a first final
since 2003.
Belgium will rely heavily on mercurial world number 15 David Goffin
against an Argentina side featuring Leonardo Mayer as their top
singles player in the continued absence of former U.S. Open champion
Juan Martin del Potro.
Argentina are trying to shake-off the "nearly man" tag having lost
four finals.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Toby Davis)
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