On Sunday, Andy will have the chance to secure that third point and, for the first time in 79 years, help the United Kingdom claim the Davis Cup title.
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ANDY and Jamie Murray won a thrilling doubles against an inspired Belgian duo to leave Great Britain one victory away from winning the Davis Cup. Just as they had done in previous rounds, the Murrays “stuck together as brothers should”, to borrow Andy’s phrase, with the Scots infuriating thousands of spirited, vocal Belgians by beating David Goffin and Steve Darcis in four sets, every one of which fried the nerves of anyone who had come dressed in red, white and blue.
David Goffin had earlier edged British newcomer Kyle Edmund in five sets, clawing his way back from two sets down.
“All the other options” were possible, said Van Herck after Friday’s singles matches.
As mayhem reigned in the stands and a head-throbbing noise shook an industrial warehouse in Ghent to its frame, two brothers summoned the skills acquired on a windy Dunblane tennis court to put Britain on the cusp of Davis Cup glory on Saturday.
With Jamie serving, the Murrays had to fend off seven break points but they dug deep to hold and from there they pushed on to victory, Darcis going wide on the second match point.
“It’s not a problem if I have to play five sets tomorrow”. In the third set it looked as though the tide was beginning to turn in the Belgium’s favour as it was now Edmund’s turn to miss his shots that were being ruthlessly dispatching in the first 2 sets. There was controversy in the third set of Murray’s match when the world No2 was given a point penalty for an audible obscenity. Even if he started slow I knew he would get it going. The Brits held off, first with Andy slapping a forehand at the net, then forcing deuce with a forehand slam. So when I lost the point, I just went up and asked the umpire why. “It was tough to manage but I stayed calm and waited for my chance”.
From the moment that this final was set a couple of months ago, after Britain defeated Australia in their semifinal and then Belgium beat Argentina, the locals have been of the opinion that this tie is essentially Andy Murray against the home team.
“The crowd has been fantastic, obviously with everything that was happening in Brussels, I’d like to thank everyone who made the trip to support us”, he said on court.
British captain Leon Smith also has a big decision to make about who out of Edmund or the experienced James Ward would play a decisive fifth rubber should it come down to it. While the 24-year-old Goffin feels happy on clay, is possessed with great touch, and will shoulder no pressure in the tie, it will take a kind of performance the world has yet to see from the No 16 in the ATP Tour rankings if he is to knock Murray off his perch under these circumstances.
The first game went to six deuces and Edmund saved two break points to win it in 12 minutes. “If he was to play at that level against Darcis, that’s not an easy match for Darcis”. I’m ready if I have to play tomorrow and Sunday.
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By contrast, the Murrays had won all three of their Great Britain matches as a family pairing. “I think on clay court I have some weapons to play a good match”.
