British tennis hopes for bright future after Andy Murray

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

It goes without saying the sport will not be the same without a superstar who brought unparalleled success, shifted the dial of expectation and raised standards across the board.

Strong showings by Britain’s next generation at the recent US Open, though, provided optimism for anyone worrying how the void might be filled.

With New York semi-finalist Jack Draper receiving a hero’s welcome on his return home, the Davis Cup event in Manchester presented the opportunity to gauge the mood without the talismanic Murray.

Even though the men’s team were ultimately unable to progress to the quarter-finals stage in front of a record 15,700 crowd, the feelgood factor was not diminished.

“We’ve moved on from Andy Murray. We’re not looking back to the past. We’re looking to the future,” said Jan Harris, a long-time member of the British Association of Tennis Supporters (BATS).

Emma Raducanu, who is the only Briton other than Murray to win a Grand Slam singles title in the past 20 years, drew criticism for saying tennis “moves on quickly”, external in the wake of his retirement.

In truth, it was a pragmatic assessment which has been echoed by many at the Manchester Arena over the past week.

“Andy was a once-in-a-lifetime player and an incredible asset for our sport, in terms of raising visibility and bringing new fans into tennis,” said LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd.

“But the future is also looking bright.”