Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro returns a shot to Britain’s Andy Murray, during day one of the Davis Cup semi final tennis match at the Emirates Arena, in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday Sept. 16, 2016.
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However, despite taking the first set on a tie break the 21-year-old had no answer to Pella’s power play as the Argentine claimed victory in just over three hours, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
Andy Murray blocked a high volley victor to end two hour, 18-minute triumph and keep British hopes alive.
Great Britain will again be spearheaded by world No 2 Murray but the rest of the squad have been buoyed by their displays at the US Open earlier this month.
“Yesterday was a very tough day”.
Andy and Jamie Murray, who came into the tie having won the US Open men’s doubles title with Brazilian partner Bruno Soares, started brightly and managed to keep their composure, despite dropping the second set on their way to sealing a vital win. Obviously still 2-1 down is a tough position to be in.
Del Potro produced a stunning forehand victor in the seventh game of the set to put himself ahead in the match and he managed to serve for victory.
His brother Jamie said: “It was brilliant, from the first point to the last – the crowd was something else”. “This was the type of match I was missing when I was at home”. “It’s been a long day, both guys have fought as hard as they can, given their best and that’s all we ask before they go out”. “We re back in the tie and gives us some momentum back in the tie going into tomorrow s matches”.
Murray is again being asked to complete three-day duty in the best-of-five format and that’s a tough ask with the amount of tennis now in his legs.
The 27-year-old’s ranking is still recovering following two years away from the game and he finds himself ranked below teammates Federico Delbonis and Guido Pella.
“I thought that it was the best doubles team we have”.
“They’ve given us so many good moments together as a team and we needed them”, said Smith. But I knew that he liked these conditions.
“I always love to come and play here”.
Del Potro, though, refused to give in and he broke Murray’s serve two times in the fourth set, while his opponent was becoming increasingly troubled by a bout of cramp in his right leg. After all, Edmund was the one who supplied a couple of singles victories in the quarterfinal victory over Serbia in Belgrade (while Murray was there, he was a noncombatant, with the tie coming the weekend after he had won Wimbledon).
Both Murray brothers read the court well.
Edmund in straight sets is a tempting bet at 15/8, although I’m going to head to the total games market for my bet, going under 38.5.
The initial signs were good as Murray curled three sublime lobs over the head of 6ft 6in Del Potro to lead 2-0 but the Argentinian hit back quickly and began to take control.
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But Del Potro can’t be in the best physical shape as, rather than resting after Friday’s adventures, he chose to play in Saturday’s doubles match, which meant he was out on the match court for a further three hours.
