THERE was a matter of feet between the benches.

There was some distance in the appearance of the players and demands upon the captains.

The gulf between Jim Courier, captain of USA, and Leon Smith, captain team of Team GB, made the Atlantic seem like a small puddle on London Road.

Courier sat with his bedraggled player, offering words of comfort. Donald Young, in truth, should have been on a couch receiving counselling as whale music played in the background.

Smith had less arduous duties. He restricted his intervention to fetching Andy Murray a bottle of water.

It was 45 minutes into the first rubber of the world group tie in the Emirates and the 27-year-old Scot was already two sets up. Courier had spent most of that time looking like a guilt-ridden parent who has given his child a loofah to play axe tig in Dalmarnock.

Smith, in contrast, was so relaxed he looked like an outtake from Gogglebox. There was a moment when Murray drew his captain's attention to something in the crowd and Smith had the slightly vexed aspect of a tired dad interrupted while watching Match of the Day.

The match inside the Emirates Arena was only briefly a contest. It was mostly an exhibition. The world No.5 took just under two hours to defeat the world No. 47 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Murray made one unforced error in the first two sets. Young made more than that in his first service game, missing two overheads and throwing in a double fault.

He could be forgiven for his hesitant start given the atmosphere in the Emirates Arena. The 25-year-old from Atlanta came in from the pre-match preliminaries with headphones, presumably in an attempt to block out the noise. He could have come in trapped in a lead box and he would still have heard the commotion as 7700 spectators greeted Murray with a passion that was frankly moving.

The world No.5 had already received a standing ovation when he was introduced as part of the team. When he came on to court to play, the cheers took fully two minutes to subside.

Young's entrance tune was Born in the USA. He was buried in the Emirates, though he staged an admirable fightback by winning the third set, grasping the only break point Murray offered in a chastening afternoon for the left-hander.

The Dunblane player entered to Chandelier by Sia - a tune, not a perfume - and made sweet music for the first 45 minutes before succumbing briefly in the third set to the calming effects of a lullaby provided by an entirely one-sided two sets.

Murray said later he was buoyed by the extraordinary support. He could not have surfed the moment more if he had been carrying a board and wearing Speedos.

"I'm going to praise myself today," said the Scot. "I had one unforced error in two sets. That's going to get you in a 6-1, 6-1 lead in these sort of matches. If he was intimidated, then I also think I played my part as well."

Murray was imperious in the first set, not losing a point on serve and producing the sort of power plays that had Young exclaiming in frustration.

He could not possibly maintain this level and the American, commendably, came back. He sneaked into the third set, serving efficiently, before confounding Murray by taking the only break point offered. It happened to be set point.

Young seemed surprised as everyone else, bounding towards Courier with an understandable sprightliness.

"He started to miss a little more, I kinda loosened up. I was getting whupped pretty good so I started to hit the ball and was able to string some points together and get into his service games which I could not do in the first two sets," said Young.

He was offered just the one chance to take the set and he grabbed it with all the force of a sinking man. But it was only the briefest of reprieves. Murray broke the American in the third game of the fourth set and eased to a comfortable victory in front of an adoring crowd. He was not as spectacular as he had been in the first two sets but he was ruthless in the fourth. It was as if he was punishing Young for showing him up in front of the family and mates.

The exercise was vital in terms of the tie. He did what was required and something more.

On a personal basis, Murray may have learned something about his status as a national hero but, in turn, he gave those not able to see him live on a regular basis a masterclass in his abilities. Yes, Murray dropped a level in the third but for long, sustained periods he was simply invincible.

His serve was faultless in the early stages and he produced shots of both power and touch. A stopped volley at the net, a lob on the run and a series of vicious cross-court forehands were the highlights pick but Murray was too good in all aspects of the game.

There were times when he turned the Scottish stereotype on his head. This nation is accustomed to watching local heroes become plucky losers. This role in the first rubber was given to the American.

There was even sympathy for Young. On the last of his four double faults, there was an audible sigh from the crowd that deserved to be accompanied by a Glesca grannie saying: "It's a sin for the boy."

Courier's stance at the side of court betrayed no obvious agitation but he must now be considering the wisdom of picking Young over Steve Johnson who is ranked three places higher. His decision was influenced by recent form, including Young reaching the final of Delray Beach, beating Bernard Tomic en route.

But Murray in Glasgow is a different matter to playing the level under the very elite in Florida. Young must now compose himself for tomorrow's challenge against Ward.

He credited his resurgence in the third set to wisdom from Courier. "He told me to use my wheels," said Young. Those came off in spectacular fashion, leaving the American in the ditch.

Murray, instead, cruised home and then glided to courtside where he shook more hands than an American presidential candidate.

The pent-up emotion of the afternoon was shown in fist-pumps, a jig and the throwing of sweat bands to a joyous crowd.

"I was born here," Murray told a courtside interviewer. Glasgow certainly belonged to him last night.