After Andy Murray helped Britain to a first Davis Cup by BNP Paribas victory since 1936, Jeremy Bates joined The Tennis Podcast to review the final, talk about what it could mean for the future, and to reminisce about the 17-year-old he picked for his first tie against Israel in 2005.
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He became only the third player after John McEnroe in 1982 and Mats Wilander in 1983 to achieve an 8-0 singles record in one calendar year since the introduction of the World Group in 1981 – and the first to win eight matches that counted. His 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 triumph in the fourth rubber inside the Flanders Expo in Ghent gave the visiting Brits a 3-1 victory.
Andy Murray’s straight-sets win over David Goffin sealed his team’s first title since 1936 and marked a remarkable recovery from languishing in the competition’s Euro-African Zone less than a decade ago.
Murray is the first player to win three rubbers at a Davis Cup Final since Pete Sampras did so in 1995.
Andy Murray just gave Britain its first Davis Cup win after 79 years and his pregnant wife Kim Sears was there to witness the historic moment. “One of the best Davis Cup years in history”, former U.S. Open champion and world number one Andy Roddick said on Twitter.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling”.
The 2015 Davis Cup is over and the “team” event has been won by Great Britain.
Britain’s five-year journey from the depths of the Davis Cup to the glory of Ghent is down to the superb playing skills of Andy Murray and the astute captaincy of Leon Smith.
Murray wobbled briefly when he dropped serve early in the third set but he responded to move 5-3 ahead before providing the most spectacular of climaxes to a memorable year.
Team skipper Leon Smith – his childhood coach – was the first to embrace him on the court.
“It’s been an incredible few years”, an emotional Murray said on court. But, after another loss to Federer, his dignified speech, with his voice cracking as he tried to hold back the tears, did much to change opinions.
“For all of the team, it’s great to have a Davis Cup next to our name”, said Murray.
Goffin saved three set points in the following game but was powerless to prevent Murray serving out the set. The broke the tie when the Murray brothers won the doubles on Saturday.
It was, he admitted, the most emotional he had been after any of his famous victories, and he suggested not even another Grand Slam title would eclipse the experience.
The world number two has insisted throughout that this really is not a one man team, and Jamie Murray and James Ward have given critical points during the effort that was winning, but he is set by the younger Murray’s accomplishment apart. Despite a disastrous start against Kyle Edmund on Friday afternoon, those batteries appear to have been recharged – but Goffin still faces a mighty task to deprive Murray and Great Britain of the trophy.
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He said: “I think after a match like this, I have no regrets”.
