The 20-year-old, ranked 100 in the world and making his Davis Cup debut, looked on course for one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history when he raced into a two-set lead, but Goffin gradually wore down Edmund’s resistance to complete a 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 win.
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World number two Andy Murray, undefeated in Britain’s journey to the final including six singles wins, plays unfancied Ruben Bemelmans later when he is expected to level the tie. The main problem for the Belgian was his first serve, as he put in only 19 of 46 first serves in those two sets.
Murray broke Ferrer to win the first set, getting his final point on the Spaniard’s second double-fault of the game. Murray is set to play in the doubles rubber with older brother Jamie.
Murray was given the point penalty at 2-2 15-0 after being warned by umpire Carlos Ramos for swearing earlier in the final set.
“I wasn’t aware I’d been given the first warning”.
Murray smiled. “I’m surprised he could hear what I was saying”, he added.
Their skipper Johan van Herck changed his original doubles line-up an hour before the event started at Flanders Expo, perfectly within the rules, and they ran the Scots close at times on the clay court.
“Okay, there was noise, but there will always be noise. Kyle had good intentions and was really heavy with every forehand”, Goffin said.
“I’m disappointed I couldn’t do it for the team but it’s one of the most important experiences I’ve had I think”.
Should they do so, victory for Murray over Belgian number one David Goffin on Sunday would clinch Britain’s first Davis Cup title since 1936.
“I serve bad (at) the end of the first set and also in the second set”, Ferrer said. I knew I had the game to beat him and I was playing well enough. The world number two refound his composure as some sweet backhands set up break back points, and a forehand long from the world number 108 saw his break lead evaporate. But when you’re playing as part of a team, your job is more than just about preparing for yourself. Obviously he will be devastated that he could not convert his position, and will probably feel he has let the team down, but he should not have that attitude.
The top Belgian player set the ball rolling on Friday by coming back from two sets to nil down to defeat Britain’s Kyle Edmund. In the fourth set, the Belgian again broke Edmund’s serve thrice in a row and the younger player completely faded from the court, looking nothing like the player from the first two sets. He was really aggressive with his forehand. “I have never played in front of a crowd like this”.
“I’m not complaining I’m playing too much golf, I’m enjoying it. But yesterday, I was certainly a little flat…”
“We’re also taking sometimes like 45 seconds between points to wait for the crowd to calm down and stay quiet, which gives you longer to recover between points, which is fine on a weekend like this for me”. He will hope today’s match unfolds in a similar manner for the pressure is today all on the visitors.
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Goffin v Edmund begins at 1.30pm local (12.30pm GMT/11.30pm AEST) with the match streamed live online. He has a lot of weapons.
