File picture of Nick Kyrgios of Australia resting between games during his first round match against Andy Murray of Britain at the US Open Championships tennis tournament in New York.

The Guardian/London

Australia have left Nick Kyrgios out of the team to meet Great Britain in the Davis Cup semi-final next week.
Their captain, Wally Masur, said that the absence of the temperamental player was by mutual agreement so that he could focus on his personal and professional development.
“After some good healthy discussion with Nick and his team we have agreed on a plan to help him develop all aspects of his game and ensure a long and successful future in the sport,” Masur said. “Next week’s tie has come a bit too soon for him and is not in that plan.”
Britain will be led by Andy Murray who saw off Kyrgios 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in the US Open first round which may have helped influence the Australians’ thinking.
The 20-year-old bad boy of world tennis has had an eventful year, recently incurring a suspended ban for taunting Stan Wawrinka in Montreal when he said: “[Thanasi] Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that mate.”
Earlier this summer his Wimbledon ended in defeat to Richard Gasquet during a match in which he got a code violation for swearing, hugged a ball boy and rowed with the umpire over whether he was taking too long to change his socks.
Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Groth, Kokkinakis and Bernard Tomic make up the Australian team with John Millman and Alex Bolt making the trip as official hitting partners.
Tomic himself is no stranger to controversy but Masur said: “The focus has been on helping Bernie understand the consequences of his actions and then assessing how serious he is about committing to a consistent effort to improve his behaviour.
“So far he has demonstrated a will to change and backed that up with his actions. But it is a long road and he is now very acutely aware of the consequences of any future transgressions. He has been selected with this understanding in mind and, it is fair to say, very little room for error in the future.”
The Australian squad has been training indoors on hard court in New York this week and will head to London for a few days before arriving in Glasgow for the weekend.
The tie marks Australia’s first appearance in the Davis Cup semi-finals since 2006 with the winners playing the victors from Belgium v Argentina in late November.
Two players are in the frame to play in the singles alongside Murray for Britain, with James Ward and Kyle Edmund both named in the squad to play Australia.
Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot will complete the five-man line-up, from which a team of four will be selected before the draw next Thursday. The tie will get under way at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow the following day as Britain aim to reach the Davis Cup final for the first time since 1978.
Murray is likely to partner either his brother Jamie or Inglot in the doubles, as well as playing his two singles rubbers, but there is less certainty about who will fill the second singles place.
Ward was No2 in the most recent victory over France and registered a shock win over John Isner against America in March, but the world No135 is out of form, having lost all of his nine matches after Wimbledon.
His potential replacement is 20-year-old Edmund, who is ranked 32 places higher than Ward and has shown promise this year after reaching the second round at the French Open in June.

‘Incredible dedication’
Captain Leon Smith said: “Once again the team will be spearheaded by Andy Murray who has shown incredible dedication and passion to the team in recent ties. After the fantastic performances of all of those involved in our campaign this year, we carry great momentum going into the tie.
“However, we know the test ahead of us and the Australian team have some incredible talent that is worthy of a Davis Cup semi-final.
“In James Ward we have a player who has shown on more than one occasion he can deliver the upsets required in this tournament, and, in Kyle Edmund, a fantastic young talent who has broken into the top 100 for the first time recently.”
Andy Murray said: “It’s always exciting playing in the Davis Cup in front of a home crowd and I love being part of a team and representing my country. Australia are a very experienced nation with a proven track record, and while it will be tough, we’ll go into the semi-final with the belief that we can do it.
“The crowd will certainly play a part, we have had amazing support in our last two home ties, and we are all looking forward to this one.”