Further to JonH's suggestion on the DC thread in the Andy Murray forum, just creating a new home for the discussion in advance of the kick-off for the new-style competition using Stu Fraser's "The Slice" feature from last Saturday's Times which expains how the new format dreamt up by Gerard Piqué's management company works:

On Monday, the five-man Great Britain team for the inaugural Davis Cup Finals will be announced by captain Leon Smith. Certain to be named are Andy Murray, Dan Evans and Jamie Murray, while intrigue surrounds the nominations for the two remaining places.  There are realistically three players in the running: Cameron Norrie, Kyle Edmund and Neal Skupski. The selections will depend on whether Smith wants to keep his singles options wide open in Madrid next month by taking both Norrie and Edmund, or if he wishes to use the doubles team of Jamie and Skupski. In the case of the latter, then either Norrie or Edmund will miss out.  Edmund is low on confidence after a run of seven straight defeats.  At this stage, it seems more likely that Edmund will be left at home. Up until last Sunday, the 24-year-old had been the British No 1 for 17 months, but a dismal seven-match losing streak has seen him lose that status to Evans and he is now set to drop to the mid-70s in the world rankings.

Edmund's latest defeat, by Norbert Gombos, the world No 116 from Slovakia, in qualifying for the European Open in Antwerp - where he was the defending champion - on Sunday shows how low his confidence is. Despite his previous achievements, it would be quite a gamble to throw him into the Davis Cup cauldron.  There are, of course, still two weeks of tournaments to come, during which Edmund could embark on a deep run to make a case for inclusion - Smith is allowed to make up to three changes in his nominated team before the Finals begin on November 18. It would take some going, though, to displace Andy or Evans as one of the two main singles players.

It was just last month that Murray pondered whether he would even be selected for the Davis Cup - which may sound ludicrous for a former world No 1 and winner of three grand slam titles - but, at the time, he was still early in his singles comeback and had recently lost in the third round of a Challenger in Mallorca. Performances over the past four weeks have shown that he is capable of competing with the best players in the world again.  Evans is an obvious pick as the highest-ranked team member, at No 43 in the world. He has won 54 of 80 matches in 2019 to rapidly rise from his ranking of No 192 at the start of the year, and has often produced his best performances in the Davis Cup, under the courtside encouragement of his team-mates and Smith.  Norrie would understandably feel aggrieved if he was not selected ahead of Edmund. He is ranked No 61 and won seven of ten matches during the recent Asian swing. In February last year, he produced one of the greatest British Davis Cup debuts by coming back from two sets down to beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut on clay in Marbella.

One option for Smith is that he rests Andy in the singles against the Netherlands on Thursday 21. Kazakhstan will provide tougher opposition the day before, with Alexander Bublik (No 48) and Mikhail Kukushkin (No 58) likely to be their two singles representatives. Britain will not be so reliant on Andy against the Netherlands, with Norrie more than capable of defeating Robin Haase (No 151) or Tallon Griekspoor (No 169).  Andy will not necessarily be required for the doubles, either. His brother Jamie and Skupski have formed a solid partnership after four months together, reaching five consecutive semi-finals before this week. This would help Andy be in good physical condition for what potentially could be three consecutive days of action from Friday in the knockout stages if Britain were to reach the final.

How the Davis Cup Finals work

Eighteen countries will gather at the Caja Mágica in Madrid from November 18-25. The round-robin stages consist of six groups, with the winner of each and the two best runners-up progressing to the quarter-finals.

Great Britain were given a wild card and have been drawn in group E, facing Kazakhstan on Wednesday 20 and the Netherlands on Thursday 21. Ties consist of three matches: two singles (2 v 2, 1 v 1) followed by the doubles. All matches will be contested over the best of three tiebreak sets.

I'll be moving the Andy Murray DC thread in here.

Stircrazy wrote:

---

Further to JonH's suggestion on the DC thread in the Andy Murray forum, just creating a new home for the discussion in advance of the kick-off for the new-style competition using Stu Fraser's "The Slice" feature from last Saturday's Times which expains how the new format dreamt up by Gerard Piqué's management company works:

On Monday, the five-man Great Britain team for the inaugural Davis Cup Finals will be announced by captain Leon Smith. Certain to be named are Andy Murray, Dan Evans and Jamie Murray, while intrigue surrounds the nominations for the two remaining places.  There are realistically three players in the running: Cameron Norrie, Kyle Edmund and Neal Skupski. The selections will depend on whether Smith wants to keep his singles options wide open in Madrid next month by taking both Norrie and Edmund, or if he wishes to use the doubles team of Jamie and Skupski. In the case of the latter, then either Norrie or Edmund will miss out.  Edmund is low on confidence after a run of seven straight defeats.  At this stage, it seems more likely that Edmund will be left at home. Up until last Sunday, the 24-year-old had been the British No 1 for 17 months, but a dismal seven-match losing streak has seen him lose that status to Evans and he is now set to drop to the mid-70s in the world rankings.

Edmund's latest defeat, by Norbert Gombos, the world No 116 from Slovakia, in qualifying for the European Open in Antwerp - where he was the defending champion - on Sunday shows how low his confidence is. Despite his previous achievements, it would be quite a gamble to throw him into the Davis Cup cauldron.  There are, of course, still two weeks of tournaments to come, during which Edmund could embark on a deep run to make a case for inclusion - Smith is allowed to make up to three changes in his nominated team before the Finals begin on November 18. It would take some going, though, to displace Andy or Evans as one of the two main singles players.

It was just last month that Murray pondered whether he would even be selected for the Davis Cup - which may sound ludicrous for a former world No 1 and winner of three grand slam titles - but, at the time, he was still early in his singles comeback and had recently lost in the third round of a Challenger in Mallorca. Performances over the past four weeks have shown that he is capable of competing with the best players in the world again.  Evans is an obvious pick as the highest-ranked team member, at No 43 in the world. He has won 54 of 80 matches in 2019 to rapidly rise from his ranking of No 192 at the start of the year, and has often produced his best performances in the Davis Cup, under the courtside encouragement of his team-mates and Smith.  Norrie would understandably feel aggrieved if he was not selected ahead of Edmund. He is ranked No 61 and won seven of ten matches during the recent Asian swing. In February last year, he produced one of the greatest British Davis Cup debuts by coming back from two sets down to beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut on clay in Marbella.

One option for Smith is that he rests Andy in the singles against the Netherlands on Thursday 21. Kazakhstan will provide tougher opposition the day before, with Alexander Bublik (No 48) and Mikhail Kukushkin (No 58) likely to be their two singles representatives. Britain will not be so reliant on Andy against the Netherlands, with Norrie more than capable of defeating Robin Haase (No 151) or Tallon Griekspoor (No 169).  Andy will not necessarily be required for the doubles, either. His brother Jamie and Skupski have formed a solid partnership after four months together, reaching five consecutive semi-finals before this week. This would help Andy be in good physical condition for what potentially could be three consecutive days of action from Friday in the knockout stages if Britain were to reach the final.

How the Davis Cup Finals work

Eighteen countries will gather at the Caja Mágica in Madrid from November 18-25. The round-robin stages consist of six groups, with the winner of each and the two best runners-up progressing to the quarter-finals.

Great Britain were given a wild card and have been drawn in group E, facing Kazakhstan on Wednesday 20 and the Netherlands on Thursday 21. Ties consist of three matches: two singles (2 v 2, 1 v 1) followed by the doubles. All matches will be contested over the best of three tiebreak sets.

I'll be moving the Andy Murray DC thread in here.

---

 PS there are also some posts in the general discussion thread on this topic so not sure if any of those want to move here as well? thanks!

Smudge226 wrote:

---

Hmm.. No Zverev, he's committed to Federer's exhibition match and no Del Porto, patella injury this summer. GB would face winners of Germany and Argentina group if they win their own group, in the QF. Not looked further than this but passage to SF certainly achievable if AM@ no.2 & J+N maintain fitness and form, regardless of GB No.1 performance.

---

 I agree, and on same basis, if AM played #2 you would anticipate him beating Pella ( I assume) for Argentina or Koepfer/Struff/Kohlschreiber for Germany and winning the doubles, and in Germany case, Dan would be #1 singles favourite as well. 

Without tempting fate, a run to the SF would be on here. I think after that it would be winners  of Spain/Russia group most likely.