Murray a Davis Cup Doubt After Dubai Withdrawal

Andy Murray is a doubt for next week's Davis Cup match against Ukraine in Glasgow after pulling out of the quarter-finals of the Dubai Open today with a virus.

Murray said he would play for Great Britain if he had recovered but not if he was still feeling ill, which would leave the squad – which is holding play-offs this week for its two remaining places – seriously under-gunned. The fourth place has been filled by the doubles specialist Ross Hutchins.

The Scot was due to play Richard Gasquet of France today after shrugging off the effects of an ankle injury but called an unexpected press conference in Dubai to announce his withdrawal. He said he had been suffering from a virus since the Australian Open in January when he lost in the fourth round to Spain's Fernando Verdasco. After defeating Arnaud Clément yesterday he had consulted a doctor over the problem and then spent three hours in bed in a doomed attempt to fulfill today's fixture.