Talking in Ghent the morning after he gave Britain its first Davis Cup win in 79 years by defeating David Goffin in straight sets, Murray said that he was aware of what Djokovic went on to achieve after helping Serbia win the Davis Cup for the first time in 2010.
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Andy Murray said winning the Davis Cup was more emotional than winning Wimbledon following his guiding of Great Britain to the team trophy for the first time since 1936.
Team Britain winning the Davis Cup after Andy Murray defeated Belgium’s David Goffin, rear right, in three sets, …
With hundreds of British fans decked out in union flags and saltires roaring on the Scot and thousands of baying Belgians urging on Goffin, Murray’s nerve held firm to subdue an inspired opponent and give the visitors a winning 3-1 lead. Debutant Kyle Edmund nearly caused a shock in the opening rubber when he led Goffin by two sets to love but the Belgian number one hit back to win in five. “I have played more matches this year than in any other other year and my body has responded really well, so I will take the appropriate rest now and then start training for Australia”, he said.
“You don’t get atmospheres like that in any event that we play during the year except during Davis Cup”.
By beating Goffin, two-time major victor Murray became the first player since the current World Group system was introduced to win 11 live rubbers in a season. But I probably haven’t been as emotional as that after a match that I’ve won.
“I know this team extremely well”.
Andy Murray today capped a sensational Davis Cup campaign with a 6-3 7-5 6-3 win over David Goffin.
While much of the adulation focused on Murray, a few pundits were careful to heap praise on Britain’s Davis Cup team, which included Murray’s brother, Jamie.
It had been a stunning final, and at times during the first two days, it looked like it could have gone either way.
Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Murray said: “I would imagine everyone will be on fire tonight, it’s been an unbelievable road to get here and we’ve got to enjoy this because we might not get another opportunity to do this again as a team and we should celebrate tonight”. He was typically coy about the idea, joking: “I think the whole team deserves one”.
The second set turned out to be the key to the final.
From the first moment to the last, the Belgian crowd clapped and cheered any sign of weakness or pressure on the Brit, but this only seemed to entice Murray, as he saved break points with two stunning serves early on in the match, and eventually broke down the resistence of the Belgian in the following game to go a break up.
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It is also a triumph for the captain, Leon Smith, who has known the Murray brothers since their boyhood in Dunblane. However, Murray ended the year 11-0, whereas Ljubicic’s was 11-1 having lost a singles in the final against Slovakia.
