It took place at one of the main venues for last year’s Scottish sporting showpiece but today's Davis Cup semi-final was of a different order, elite sport of the highest calibre with the prize of having a tilt at winning one of sport’s most coveted trophies at stake.

This was the same room in which a personal highlight of last year’s Commonwealth Games was experienced when a Scottish racqueteer reached new sporting heights.

However as pleasing as it was to watch Kirsty Gilmour establish herself as Scotland’s finest ever badminton singles player upon reaching a Commonwealth Games final we were, yesterday, in the presence of Scotland’s greatest ever sportsman in any discipline and the mood reflected that.

There is a reason that the world’s leading tennis players are multi-millionaires, instantly recognisable the world over, producing feats that arouse passion and wonder in equal measure as they do.

Those possessing the golden tickets which had sold within minutes of their release consequently generated the sort of atmosphere that ensures participants are in no doubt as to how much their performance means not only to themselves but to those watching, transformed as they are from mere spectators into out-and-out supporters.

Behind a huge Union Jack bearing the message ‘Stirling Uni Barmy Army’ the core cheer-leading group, seated (occasionally) immediately behind the British team, took elements from all the nation’s major team sports, borrowing their nickname, at the end of this Ashes summer, from Test cricket, some of their chants from the football terracings and their attitude from rugby crowds.

A key difference to the douce environment of Wimbledon or Queen’s Club was the telling way in which their energy at times seemed directed as much towards the opponent, Thannasi Kokkinakis as towards their own man.

The Aussies, hailing from the most successful nation at the Commonwealth Games which has nonetheless derided them as “the school sports”, could be in no doubt about the levels of skill and athleticism and, perhaps most of all, mental fortitude needed to be competitive let alone successful in this environment.

When Kokkinakis was broken for the second time in the second set a decidedly Scottish terracing chant of “You’re no’ singing any more,” was directed at the largest group of Australian supporters and a single taunt of “It’s bagel time,” as the teenager slipped 5-0 behind was picked up by the Barmy Army.

“Bagel… bagel…” they goaded as he duly gave way to the inevitable but he offered no complaint about his treatment.

“I haven’t lost a set six love in a long time. It’s not good for the ego that’s for sure,” he admitted.

“It was pretty loud out there and I was on the receiving end (but) they were respectful, just a good loud crowd supporting the home team.”

As to his friend turned foe, the generosity of the youngster’s praise offered further insight into this competition’s significance in elite sporting terms.

“I’ve practised with him a fair few times and I can say that’s the best he’s played against me by a mile,” he said, confirming Andy Murray’s pre-match claims about how inspired he feels when taking part in it.

The man himself meanwhile underlined that message once more when once again putting the Davis Cup’s importance to him in perspective.

“I think my results speak for themselves. I don’t why I play better when I play for my country but it was the same at the Olympics,” said Murray.

“It’s a big occasion...”

If they were in the slightest doubt before the match got underway the visitors would have been in no doubt that the extent to which this mattered to the home contingent meant they required to do something extraordinary in sporting terms in order to prevent this sporting great from leading his team into a match which reduced Roger Federer to tears a year ago when he finally helped Switzerland to their first ever Davis Cup win.

As to whether extra element was brought to proceedings as Murray led his team out in front of all those Union Jacks wearing navy blue shirt and white socks on the anniversary of a day that brought dismay and relief in equal measure as the outcome of the independence referendum became known in this part of the planet it could only have been marginal.

This competition is important enough in its own right to transcend such considerations and all the better for it. With Murray leading the team everyone is happy to be playing for and supporting a British team, for now at least.