Andy Murray and co. 'trash talking' ahead of Jamie Murray's Battle of the Brits

If Andy Murray was expecting an easy ride on his return to competitive action next month he’d better think again!

Pride is at stake as Britain’s top-eight tennis players will face off in an ATP Finals-style event dubbed the ‘Battle of the Brits’ – a tournament organised by Murray’s older brother and doubles specialist Jamie that will also raise significant funds, a minimum of £100,000, for the NHS.

Hosted at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton – and live on Amazon Prime for British viewers – the likes of Murray, Dan Evans, Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie will take part in a bid for bragging rights as the best Brit.

‘That is the cool thing about the event,’ Jamie Murray told a small group of journalists on Friday. ‘This is the first time these guys have come together to compete against each other.

‘They have been trash talking about this for quite a few weeks now. They are looking forward to getting the chance to compete again in a cool event. Also just the chance to see each other.

‘We have all been locked up in our homes and it will be nice to see some familiar faces and friends. They are all looking forward to it for a number of reasons.’

The trash talking has largely been taking place in a Whatsapp group used by Jamie Murray to organise the event, which will run from June 23-26 and will also boast six doubles teams.

The younger Murray brother won’t be taking part in the doubles – although the likes of Evans and Edmund are expected to – but has been on board for several weeks as he prepares to make his first competitive appearance since the Davis Cup last November.

‘Before the lockdown he was obviously back practising and he had aspirations to go to Miami and compete and then obviously, like everyone else, everyone had to stop what they were doing,’ Jamie Murray added.

‘For him it’s a great opportunity for him to compete and test his hip before the tour restarts.

‘I only hit with him the first couple of days when the courts were open. Neither of us were doing massive amounts of movement and stuff so I couldn’t really tell you he was moving great or moving bad really.

‘He’s been practising with Kyle and Jack Draper in the last week or so. I think he – as far as I’m aware he’s doing okay, yeah.’

Murray is guaranteed to face one of top-two seeds Evans or Edmund in the group stages.

It won’t be completely familiar surroundings for either Murray brother.

Top-eight British male singles players

1. Evans
2. Edmund
3. Norrie
4. Murray
5. Clarke
6. Broady
7. Ward
8. Draper

There will be no ball kids or line judges – with Hawk-Eye Live responsible for calling the lines – and players will be responsible for fetching their own balls (something the older Murray brother suggested he hadn’t had to do for the best part of 15 years).

Jamie Murray is open to further innovation as he looks to bring tennis to life in the absence of fans.

‘It’s not a normal tennis event, there is no crowd there so the atmosphere is very limited,’ he added. ‘We’re working on ways to enhance the viewer experience.

‘There will probably be some form of coach interaction with the players whether it is with headsets or potentially the coach might be in the back corner almost like an ATP Cup type set up.

‘The players probably won’t actually change sides, just for social distancing, so they will play the whole match on the same side.

‘It is indoors so the conditions are the same and maybe there’s the opportunity for the commentators to come in and chat through the headsets or whatever to the coach or the player during the match so there is that engagement with them.’

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