The Belgian Davis Cup team are hoping to bring some joy to their troubled country by becoming one of the most unlikely champions in the competition's history.
The final in Ghent this weekend brings together two of the Davis Cup's longest-serving nations. They met in the final in 1904, with Britain, then known as the British Isles, winning 5-0.
While Britain have won the title nine times and been in the final as comparatively recently as 1978, Belgium are back within reach of the trophy for the first time in 111 years.
At the start of the year, they were rank outsiders but they have benefited from the absence of other teams' key players in victories over Switzerland, Canada and Argentina.
Now they host Britain in what should be a joyous occasion but inevitably a shadow of terror hangs over the tie.
Security at the 13,000-capacity Flanders Expo has been tightened in the wake of the alert level in nearby Brussels being raised to its highest category and transport and schools shut.
The British team delayed their arrival in Ghent until Monday having originally planned to travel on Sunday, and there were question marks about whether the final would have to be cancelled.
Belgium captain Johan Van Herck said: " I never thought it would not happen.
"I think we as a team have a lot of confidence in the organisation. I know they put in a lot of work even before (the Paris terror attacks). We have no doubts that we will be safe here.
"But the difficulties are there. We try to focus on the sporting side. We cannot do anything about security. We have to see if we can get ready as a team. We have to be ready to get a good result as a team. So we try to focus on the job and we will be ready on Friday.
"I think it's very important (it goes ahead). Not only just for the security, I think it's important for us as a team. I think it's one of the main goals we had with this team, to have a good attitude, to put the crowd behind us.
"It's always been extremely important for us to be an exemplary team. That's what we're going to do this weekend also. If we win or lose, there will be no excuses for us. We will be there with a good attitude and we will be ready."
While Britain's hopes rest on Andy Murray, a good performance from Belgium number one David Goffin is central to their chances.
The world number 16 is undoubtedly a quality player, while team-mate Steve Darcis once beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon and has a fine Davis Cup record.
Goffin will certainly hope his last match with Murray less than a month ago is not an omen given he won only a single game at the Paris Masters.
He can point to the final being on clay rather than a hard court and also the not inconsiderable factor of 12,000 supporters cheering him on.
Goffin said: "I think the day I played Andy in Bercy, it was just a day off for me. I didn't play really well. But Andy was really aggressive. He played an unbelievable match there.
"The conditions here, it's a completely different match, another surface. I just have to forget this match and to think about the matches of this weekend."
Source: PA
