The likely outcome is a 1-1 tie at the end of the first day that will set the scene for a potentially decisive doubles on Saturday when Murray and older brother Jamie will take on the untested pairing of Steve Darcis and Kimmer Coppejans. Two and a half years ago, Murray won Wimbledon as the first British player to do so since Perry in 1936.
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The win made it nine out of nine for Murray in Davis Cup this year and he will look to make it 10 alongside his brother Jamie in the doubles on Saturday.
Murray wasted no time exerting his authority on the match, breaking Bemelmans at the first attempt in the first set to take a 2-0 lead, only to be unexpectedly broken back on his very next serve. The 20-year-old then began to take control just as he did in the first, rocking his opponent with a flurry of aggressive forehands and forcing a double fault for break point. But he blasted through the next two games to end the contest in style.
“I’m experienced enough now to not allow it to bother me, and try to use it to my advantage as much as I can”, he said. “It was a good atmosphere and it is going to be tough over the next couple of days”.
Though Edmund tasted heartbreak at losing a two-set lead he showed what he is capable of against Goffin, while James Ward could step in against probably Darcis tomorrow.
On the brink of whitewash, Goffin recovered and rescued a break back at 5-2 but Edmund hit back again, serving out with an ace to take the first set with a powerful served down the middle.
“It was not easy”.
It’s going to be a hard challenge for this visiting team, though, with Belgium upsetting the odds plenty of times on their way to a home final. I didn’t hear it and I had no idea.
“Kyle was really heavy with every forehand”. He does have a unique ability that you do not see from many players, and that is the knack of opening his racket face at the last instant and striking an inside-out volley off both flanks.
In the next game Murray broke to love and after two hours and 24 minutes he served out for victory. “It’s clear I have to bring my very best tennis”, added Bemelmans. I was dominating the first two sets. The Belgian started the second set just as badly and this time could not respond in kind. “I didn’t think they crossed the line, to be honest”, he said.
After appearing emotional immediately after his defeat, Edmund was composed when he spoke to the media afterwards at which point he admitted tiredness and leg cramp had played their part in his demise.
“I’m sure that’s why Andy and the other players love playing in it, because it’s different”.
Goffin, meanwhile, admitted he had been “a little bit worried” by Edmund’s start and tipped the young Briton to have a bright future. It was just disappointing that my body couldn’t hold up the way I would have liked it to.
“It’s an important match, obviously”.
Edmund will wait and see if he is required to play again in what would be a fifth and deciding rubber on Sunday.
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Edmund, who won a second-tier Challenger title on clay in Buenos Aires earlier this month to grab the attention of team captain Leon Smith, said that he knew he would be wading into unchartered waters on Friday.
