The nation improved to 2-1 over Belgium in the 2015 finals on Saturday when Andy Murray and Jamie Murray took down Belgium’s Steve Darcis and David Goffin in four sets in the one doubles matchup of the finals, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
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Top players Andy Murray and David Goffin both won their opening singles for Britain and Belgium in the Davis Cup final in Ghent on Friday (Nov 27), but in contrasting styles.
Goffin had to expend more physical and emotional energy than he would have wanted in coming from two sets down to beat Kyle Edmund on Friday as the first day of the tie ended level at 1-1.
Foam fingers burst into the air with every point, red for Belgium and blue for the U.K. The bleachers shook slightly as the Murrays faced break point at 4-all in the first set. Even if he started slow, I knew he would get it going.
“I can take a lot of positives out of it. At the end I was very upset emotionally”.
Murray’s only worrying moments came in the third set when he received a penalty point for an audible obscenity before slipping 4-2 behind. The only point which has not been won by the Murrays so far in this year’s competition was Ward’s victory over John Isner in the first round.
Pockets of the Flanders Expo were bare less than a week after Brussels – about a 40-minute train ride from Ghent and the main gateway to the city for visiting fans – was placed on the highest threat of a terrorist attack. “I had a few chances in the beginning of the set, didn’t get it and then when the new balls came out he started going for his shots a bit more”.
But a insane third set proved crucial when Jamie’s serve was broken twice – but Darcis suffered the same punishment while Goffin also dropped his serve for the first time. “I think on clay I have some weapons to play a good match”.
Despite a good performance which defied most expectations, Goffin and partner Steve Darcis were unable to prevent the Murrays extending their ideal Davis Cup record to 4-0 as a pairing. It earned them a quick break against Jamie’s serve, and Goffin shone in the overhead department to hold for 3-1.
The world No 2 said: “I believe in myself”.
The brothers slipped behind in the third set after losing the second but with Andy’s reliability holding the fort while Jamie’s usually lethal volleying skills temporarily went missing, it all turned out okay in the end.
Scot Smith said: “There’s so much still to play for and although winning the doubles hasn’t decided the tie, it has put us in a good position”.
Captain Leon Smith looked anxious and a word with coaches Louis Cayer and Nick Weal resulted in a tactical change – Andy dropping back when Jamie was returning. “We’ll make sure Andy and whoever goes out for the second singles rubber is absolutely ready”.
Twenty-year-old Kyle Edmund from Yorkshire had never played a Davis Cup tie before.
Physical and mental fatigue shouldn’t be a concern for Murray, as this is a fairly speedy clay court, and it’s not particularly warm in here, plus the noise helps, as that means longer rests between points as the umpire waits for the crowd to pipe down. The younger, Laurie Doherty, a Grand Slam and Olympic champion, played and won doubles with Reggie and both his singles rubbers. I said the same thing yesterday.
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Andy will play Goffin in the singles on Sunday, and should the World No. 2 fail to win his match, Kyle Edmund will have another chance against Ruben Bemelmans or Darcis.
