Leon Smith hinted that he could keep faith with Kyle Edmund over James Ward as Great Britain’s second singles player if the Davis Cup final goes into a potentially decisive fifth rubber against Belgium on Sunday. Kyle was really heavy with every forehand.
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This was Davis Cup at its very best, a loudly passionate home crowd inspiring their underdog to some truly spectacular tennis, breaking the world number two to go 4-2 up, and reaching set point a couple of games later.
It was not without its share of controversy, though, with Murray venting his fury one too many times and earning a point penalty from the umpire, while Belgian captain Johan Van Herck almost earned a warning from the match referee for a heated discussion about the noise levels of the crowd between points.
But it was only Edmund’s sixth best-of-five-set match, and only once had he actually played more than three sets, when he won the only grand slam victory of his career against Stephane Robert at the French Open this summer.
But with world number two Andy Murray to follow in the day’s second singles against lowly-ranked Ruben Bemelmans, Britain were still well-placed to draw level by the end of day one. There were a few boos for Murray when he took his time towelling himself down after the fall in the opening set that left him covered in dust. I did say that before the tie started.
It leaves the tie nicely poised ahead of Saturday’s doubles rubber, which is due to see the Murray and his brother Jamie face Steve Darcis and Kimmer Coppejans.
Goffin tried to instill early doubt by attacking the youngster’s opening service game, but Edmund displayed his stomach for the fight, fending off two break points for a determined hold of serve. Each of the five matches is worth one point, with the team that wins at least three points winning the Davis Cup title.
But captain Van Herck spoke very clearly as he insisted: “I think is very important that the final takes place and not only just for the security”.
Kyle Edmund, dejected after losing to Belgium’s David Goffin.
Britain’s Mr Reliable duly served out to complete what was his seventh singles win in this season’s Davis Cup.
Through two sets, he tallied a combined 18 winners and four unforced errors, an especially impressive statistic given not only the occasion but Edmund’s aggressive game.
Edmund continued his imperious form at the start of the third, taking the first game courtesy of an audacious disguised volley at the net which had Goffin sprinting in the wrong direction.
In the end though, it didn’t matter as Murray cruised to a straight sets win. I mean, Goffin’s a top-quality player when he plays well.
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“I also know that playing at home comes pressure”. You feel like you’ve let them down. “He turned that, and that’s something I need to learn from”, Edmund told reporters. “I just have to forget that match and think about the two I have to play this weekend”.
