Andy Murray could be fined for missing ATP World Tour finals for Davis Cup final

By:

Add as a preferred source on Google

Andy Murray is risking a hefty fine by missing the ATP World Tour Finals in order to help Great Britain overcome Belgium in their first Davis Cup final for 37 years.

Read more: Magic Murray earns Britain historic win

If Belgium choose to stage the final on clay, Murray suggested he will forego the ATP's end of season tournament at the O2 in order to prepare for the Davis Cup a week later on 27-29 November.

Yet the world No3 could be fined by tennis players' association the ATP for missing what is a mandatory event for players on the Tour and would forego prize money of up to £1.3m from the tournament.

ATP chief executive Chris Kermode said in a statement:

The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is a mandatory event on the ATP World Tour.

All players who qualify, unless injured, are required to compete in the event…We are aware of the comments made after the Davis Cup tie in Glasgow, however our expectations are that, if fully fit, Andy would compete in this year’s tournament. Unless we hear otherwise via an official withdrawal, he is still entered to compete at The O2.

As the home side, Belgium are able to pick their preferred surface for the final and are likely to opt for clay, the surface on which they have played four of their last six home ties.

Murray, who has only won two of his two of 35 career titles on clay, has said he would choose to miss the ATP Finals in order to prepare for the final a week later 

He said: "The O2 would obviously be a question mark for me if we were playing on the clay.

"I would go and train and prepare on the clay to get ready for the final. You saw last year with Roger Federer that the matches at the O2 are extremely tough and physically demanding."
 
At the very least Murray would give up the basic £100,000 awarded to players for reaching the ATP finals and a further £100,000 for every group stage win.
 
Yet the Scot is unlikely to miss the financial windfall too much after taking his career earnings beyond the $40m mark earlier this month and having already made 2015 the – highest-earning year of his career with $5.9m pocketed in prize money.