Nevertheless, Murray is convinced that Britain can use this as a springboard for success.
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Belgium’s David Goffin told BBC Two: “It was not easy”.
Edmund maintained his momentum and, by the time he had been broken again in the third game of the second set, Goffin was all over the place. Murray, meanwhile, was in trouble for his language.
Murray and Smith were furious and had a lengthy conversation with Ramos and then referee Soren Friemel, who was soon on court again to issue Belgium a team warning because their fans refused to be quiet during play.
Andy Murray levelled the score at 1-1 in the Davis Cup final with victory over Ruben Bemelmans in a feisty match after Kyle Edmund’s debut ended in a heartbreaking defeat.
Of the nine winning rubbers it has taken for Britain to reach the final, Murray has been involved in eight of them, and the Scot has made no secret of just how much he wants a title he surely never thought would be within his grasp. Edmund was visibly starting to tire and the first signs of Goffin starting to eke his way back into his match arrived when he broke Edmund in the third game of the set.
“I believe in me and Jamie as a doubles team, as well”, said Andy after he defeated Ruben Bemelmans in straight sets to level the final at 1-1 after Friday’s opening singles.
Murray’s mishit prompts Belgian cheers. Bemelmans is the world No 108, but like so many men of a similar ranking the left-hander has bags of talent. But the Murrays have been magnificent as a unit, and they should revel in this unique occasion.
“The third set was tricky after missing a few chances early on and he started going for his biggest shots when the new balls came out”, he said.
Tennis Channel will provide exclusive live coverage of Britain’s and Belgium’s Davis Cup final competition in Ghent, Belgium this weekend, beginning Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 a.m. ET. The others were John McEnroe in 1982, Michael Stich in 1993 and Ivan Ljubicic in 2005, with McEnroe winning 12 rubbers in his most productive year. Goffin’s attempts to play his way out of trouble with a succession of ground strokes got him nowhere, with Edmund hitting everything back easily before moving 5-0 ahead with an emphatic forehand.
Edmund would race into a huge early advantage – going 5-0 up in the first set after the Davis Cup debutant broke on the Goffin serve in impressive style.
The Yorkshireman, 20, was set for a shock opening win when he dropped only two games while blitzing through the incredible first two sets in only 71 minutes. What happened next was the most extraordinary of turnarounds in this out-of-town hangar, akin to performing a U-turn on the nearby motorway.
However, Goffin discovered his form just in time and Edmund wilted physically and mentally to go down 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 in just his second five-set match. History also worked against David as he’d never before turned the match around after trailing by two sets, playing 10 such matches before this. And the pressure seemed to effect the 24-year-old world number 16 as his game disintegrated against world number 100 Edmund, a surprise choice as Britain’s second singles pick. “Kyle had good intentions and was really heavy with every forehand”, Goffin said. “But you’re right in the moment, you’re emotionally attached to it. You’re just disappointed you couldn’t do it for the team”.
He adds that the doubles match on Saturday will be “the pivotal match”.
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Britain’s hopes clearly depend on Murray adjusting to clay after playing on a hard indoor surface in London two weeks ago at the ATP finals.
