Creaking Rusedski plans to soldier on

Greg Rusedski has won more matches this year in his father's native Ukraine than he has in Britain but the 33-year-old remains an optimist. Despite a persistent hip injury and plummeting world ranking, the former British No 1 wants to carry on playing next year.

Speaking here on the eve of the Aberdeen Cup exhibition tournament, in which he captains England against Andy Murray's Scotland side, Rusedski said yesterday that he had told John Lloyd, Britain's Davis Cup captain, that he wants to play in the next tie, against the Netherlands in Birmingham in April.

"John and I have been talking about what surface we think we should play on," Rusedski, who meets Murray in singles matches in Aberdeen both tonight and tomorrow, said. "It's a home tie and I'd like to play in it."

SCHEDULE (Scotland names first): Today (17.00 start): J Murray v J Auckland; C Steel v H James; J McKie v J Chaudry; E Baltacha v K O'Brien; A Murray v G Rusedski. Tomorrow (17.00 start): A Murray and J Murray v Auckland and Rusedski; McKie and Steel v Chaudry and James; J Murray and Baltacha v Auckland and O'Brien; Rusedski v A Murray.