Britain won the Davis Cup for the first time in 79 years in Ghent on Sunday when Andy Murray defeated David Goffin 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 in the first of the reverse singles for an unbeatable 3-1 lead over Belgium. James Ward was the only other Brit to win a singles rubber this year.
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“I probably haven’t been as emotional as that after a match that I’ve won”, Murray told reporters later as dance music still reverberated around the vast warehouse-like arena on the edge of the city. “I imagine we’ll have a party tonight”.
In 1936, the British team had the likes of Fred Perry and Bunny Austin guiding them to glory, but now the charge is being led by a couple of brothers from Dunblane.
British tennis, for so long the punchline to gags about national sporting ineptitude, has recovered its pride after Andy Murray hauled a rejuvenated team to the altogether unlikely heights of its first Davis Cup triumph since 1936.
Murray wrapped up the first set with a forehand victor but there was no chance of Goffin’s challenge fading.
Most of the play was coming from the baseline but with the score at 5-5, Murray got forward twice to win points and force deuce. A riled Murray, who was watched by his parents and grandparents, produced a giant second delivery to prompt a return error. “I think that’s the same for all of the players, as well”.
He has won all eight singles he played while teaming up three times with brother Jamie for crucial doubles wins, one of which came on Saturday to put Britain 2-1 ahead.
Andy Murray threw his hands in the air, victorious over Belgium’s David Goffin in the fourth rubber of the Davis Cup Final. While Goffin has the game at his very best to at least make this interesting, Andy Murray is the superior player with better consistency in his ground strokes and serve.
If you can put in that kind of a performance after three days, if you can be that mentally strong to fight back after you have break points against, every time afterwards being stronger, if the public is going against him, being stronger ” I can only say a lot of respect.
Several times during his opening service game he had to abort his service motion due to outbursts from the crowd but he kept his nerves at bay to hold.
The achievement is all the more remarkable considering Britain’s lack of strength in depth and the low base from which they started when Smith took over as captain five and a half years ago.
Goffin’s resistance was broken in the third set and in breaking to love at 5-3, Murray set himself up for that outstanding winning shot.
Murray faced down break point at 2-2, saving it with a fine second serve, made all the better by another interruption between his first and second deliveries. “I think Andy and Great Britain deserves the trophy today”.
Author JK Rowling declared the British number one a “superstar” while Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested Monday’s St Andrew’s Day should be renamed St Andy’s Day in honour of the achievement.
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Winning the title was a team effort, but there is no denying that this was Murray’s burden to bear.
