However, the British duo of Andy and Jamie Murray were too strong for them and recorded a 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-2 win to put the visitors 2-1 ahead heading into Sunday’s singles matches.
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Andy Murray believes he and brother Jamie can take Great Britain to the verge of Davis Cup victory in Saturday’s doubles against Belgium.
And he rejected any notion that Belgian hopes would ultimately depend on Goffin pulling off a shock win over Murray in the reverse singles.
The opening singles of the tie, which was a “must-win” rubber for Belgium as they try to land their first title, was turning into a humiliation for Goffin when he trailed the world number 100 by two sets.
As mayhem reigned in the stands and a head-throbbing noise shook an industrial warehouse in Ghent to its frame, two brothers summoned the skills acquired on a windy Dunblane tennis court to put Britain on the cusp of Davis Cup glory on Saturday.
“I’m not getting ahead of myself”, he said.
Great Britain are on the verge of making history after taking a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup final thanks to Scottish brothers Andy and Jamie Murray.
Murray’s hunger to capture the team trophy has been evident all year with inspirational displays against the US, France and Australia and he wore his heart on his sleeve again as he withstood a Bemelmans fightback to clinch victory. “When I move back, it’s a lot tougher for them to finish the point”.
A member of the raucous British following – who matched the Belgians decibel for decibel despite being outnumbered 10 to 1 – threw down a Union flag onto the court for Murray to parade.
Murray still completed his ninth successive win the Davis Cup this year – and then admitted he relished the feisty environment.
Belgium made a late change to their line-up with world number 16 Goffin replacing Kimmer Coppejans as the hosts’ captain Johan Van Herck banked everything on the vital rubber. At 4-4 the world No 2 saved the first break point of the match with a service victor and when Goffin served at 4-5 in the following game he converted Britain’s first break point with a sharp volley.
Britain’s Andy Murray (2nd R) and Britain’s Jamie Murray (R) shake hands with Belgium’s David Goffin (L) and Belgium’s Steve Darcis after winning the doubles tennis match on the second day of the Davis Cup final between Belgium and Britain at Flanders Expo in Ghent on November 28, 2015.
“We decided this morning after the warm-up”, said the captain. We got our rewards. Obviously to be up 2-1 gives us a better chance of winning. This was also the first time he had played Davis Cup doubles for three years, having not played since the last encounter between these two countries, which was a Euro-African zonal tie in Glasgow.
“I believe we can win the tie, obviously, otherwise there would be no point in us being there”, added Murray. “There’s another big match, a fifth match, [on Sunday] if necessary”. Playing for a place in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters hardly compares to squaring-off with the Davis Cup looming over the clay. So I’m ready to give everything. “I think on clay I have some weapons to play a good match”.
He said they knew it would be a dog fight, but he thinks his side played better throughout. “I didn’t feel like we should get any warning or discussion about the public”.
“I had one bad game, the first one of the match”, said Nadal, a two-time finalist at the season-ending tournament.
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The brass band went through its repertoire and the Murray boys saluted them and high-fived Britain’s support team.
