Belgium braces for UK in Ghent’s Davis Cup final

Belgium’s tennis players will today start one of sport’s most extraordinary underdog battles when they face the UK in the final of the Davis Cup at Flanders Expo.

Ruben Bemelmans and Kimmer Coppejans of Flanders and Steve Darcis and David Goffin of Wallonia face off against a British team led by world number two Andy Murray, with brother Jamie Murray, Kyle Edmund and Leon Smith.

When it comes to local tennis, the past 15 years have been all about women players, including Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters. That Belgium are even in the Davis Cup is an achievement in itself: the men have only once appeared before in the tournament’s 115-year history, as losing finalists in 1904.

Britain has a better record, with nine victories, although their last win was in 1936, and their last finals appearance was in 1978.

The three-day Davis Cup finals take place in unprecedented security in the wake of the Belgium’s terrorist threat. It was only this week that it was formally confirmed as going ahead.

Photo courtesy Tennis Vlaanderen