Naomi Broady, a professional tennis player and also a big Manchester City fan, will be the Master of Ceremonies (MC’ing) for the 2024 Davis Cup at the AO Arena, in her hometown.
It’s the second successive year Manchester has played host to the tennis competition and this time around, Great Britain, Argentina, Finland and Canada are all competing in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage.
Broady has not had the chance to partake in a competition, such as the Davis Cup, in Manchester but it is an opportunity she would grab with both hands if given the chance. But she is thankful that she gets to help in the production of the competition that is just around the corner from where she grew up.
And, when speaking to Manchester City at Club de Padel, the tennis pro said she is super excited for the Great Britain team who are competing and the Manchester love they will receive while on court.
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“Manchester means a lot to me,” began Broady. “I played in a small grass court event pre Wimbledon here in Manchester when I was younger and it was just so special, my friends and family got to come and watch but it wasn’t anywhere near the sort of scale the Davis Cup is.
“It’s still a home tie for the Great Britain team so even if the players aren’t from Manchester, they’ll still consider it a home tie. And people will be travelling from all over to come watch.
“A lot of people are coming from Scotland, a lot of people travelling from London, all corners of Great Britain come to support the players and it will be great to see locals here too.
“Being from Manchester it makes you feel a bit more proud. And last year was a record crowd for any Great Britain Davis Cup tie in Great Britain which was a sellout crowd of 13,000. So it was so cool that Manchester was the city that turned up and showed out for the team and got to make that record.”
The Davis Cup will begin on Tuesday 10 September and will run until Sunday 15 September. For information on the schedule and to buy tickets, click here.
It is the first time Great Britain will be competing since Andy Murray retired following the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
But Broady was able to provide her expert insight into this year’s team and why the crowd will play a big part in the competition.
“Tickets start from £5 for children and £10 for adults, it’s dead cheap,” said Broady. “It runs all day so even if you’re at work in the city centre you can pop along after work with your friends for £10 and catch the end of the day tennis.
“And the doubles is often the decider so you’re going to come in at the most climatic moment. And if you’re Canadian, from Finland or Argentinian, even if you’re not and those are the teams that are playing that day, put your colours on and come and represent that country because the players will be pointing up to you, pointing you out, they’ll be fist pumping towards you, they want that support.
“In terms of the Great Britain team, Andy’s [Murray] legacy has basically created the team you will watch at the Davis Cup. So his leading by example, work ethic, discipline, his sacrifices, everything that he has given to tennis he has also shared with the players around him.
“And it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s supporting court side throughout the week.
“He retired at the Olympics because he wanted that shirt on his back and it was some of his proudest moments in his career, playing for Great Britain.
“Dan Evans, one of Great Britain’s players, has not has the results he maybe would have wanted in the past year but his best tennis has come at the Davis Cup and at the Olympics, representing Great Britain.
“Jack Draper’s debut at the Davis Cup last year as well and what a trajectory he’s been on since. He’s not at a career high, he’s kissing the shirt during his matches and all the players just speak on what a special feeling it is, you’re playing for something bigger than yourself.
“Like with football your name is on the back of your shirt but you’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for the team,” Broady continued.
“And as an individual sport you don’t get to do that normally, that’s why we refer to the Davis Cup as the World Cup of tennis.
“So I think the players just step up and play their best tennis and leave absolutely everything out there.
“And the passion and noise from the crowd is vital to that and is what makes the Davis Cup so bespoke compared to all other tennis tournaments.”
