There was every expectancy that Murray would outlast Del Potro but like in their Olympic final last month, all of Del Potro’s best attributes were on show in Scotland and his heavy-hitting began to take its toll on the home favourite.
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The doubles tie are due to take place tomorrow ahead of two reverse singles on Sunday (September 18).
They were supposed to be reprising the Olympic final; instead, they only went and improved on it in the opening rubber of the semifinal between defending champions Great Britain and Argentina, by producing a match that was even longer on theatre, emotion and quality. And he was lined up again for three matches and more milestones.
We have a good chance of winning this match still. 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.
Given that Del Potro had lost his previous seven matches that have gone to five sets that looked to be the decisive blow.
Emotions ran high around the vast Emirates Arena, first with the national anthems of both nations, then with “Loch Lomond” reverberating around the packed auditorium. After hurling his racket to the floor, Del Potro immediately walked behind the umpire’s chair where he fetched the referee.
“I’m very proud of how I fought, I did fantastic”, said the Scot after his 6-4 5-7 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 defeat.
Another drop shot lob combination then a Murray break of serve.
Del Potro pounded his 14th ace for a 5-2 fourth-set lead.
Serving for the set at 5-4, del Potro held set point when Murray raced right and lifted a dazzling diagonal lob victor over his 6-foot-6 opponent to save set point. It lasted an hour and 25 minutes, in a match already three and a half hours old.
Del Potro, who converted six of 20 break points in the match, broke for a 4-3 first-set lead.
Yet they continued to summon up extraordinary points, long high-power exchanges, and jaw-dropping passes.
Murray needed help, and appealed for even more noise from the home crowd after saving a break point in the fifth game.
The Scot battled to the end but has played more matches than anyone on tour this summer.
When Murray was serving at 4-4 in the second set, Del Potro was just a point away away from breaking, which would have left him serving for a two-set lead. “But I always planned on playing”. “(After) surgeries on my wrist I can not imagine this moment for my career.
‘It was fine margins, ‘ said a terse and plainly wounded Murray afterwards. For all his mental and physical resilience, Murray is not without his limits.”I’ll have to see how I pull up when I wake up and then I’ll probably make a decision”, said Murray. It was my longest match of my career and I won it against Andy playing here.
However, he was rightly defensive about his level of play: 61 winners to 48 unforced errors.
“I still remember the Olympics but this is important for me and the team and we are looking forward to reaching another final in the Davis Cup”.
Smith said: ” We’ve had a lot of good days but I guess at some point, especially where we are now in the World Group playing against great teams like Argentina, some days are going to be like that. That’s all you can do.
“I thought I did great today”.
And off he went, head bowed, a disappointing loss made all the worse by his family’s grief.
Kyle Edmund takes on Guido Pella in the second singles.
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He therefore had it in his range to beat Argentina’s No1 nomination, Guido Pella, ranked 49-and now the extra incentive of levelling the tie.
