The victory, which took two hours and 11 minutes, meant Britain’s hopes of a second successive Davis Cup final rested with Dan Evans, who was playing Leonardo Mayer as the Star went to press.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, for all his Davis Cup heroics, including winning deciding rubbers twice against Slovakia and Russian Federation, none of Evans’ wins had come in the World Group.
Argentina are looking to reach their fourth final in 10 years in Glasgow while in Zadar, Croatia, Marin Cilic was facing France’s Richard Gasquet in the first of the two reverse singles on Sunday.
“So that’s why I had to go off the court, because the strapping had to be done very high up on my right leg and I needed to take my clothes off”.
World number 53 Dan Evans will instead face 114-ranked Leonardo Mayer with the victor of that match securing a place in the final of the Davis Cup against Croatia – who beat France in the other semi-final on Sunday – after world number two Andy Murray levelled the semi-final in Glasgow at 2-2 with a 6-3 6-2 6-3 singles win over Guido Pella despite battling a thigh injury and tiredness. Perhaps it was the result of missing so much of this season, seeing his ranking plummet outside the top 100, or perhaps recalling the heroic efforts of team-mate del Potro in that record-breaking first rubber. That was worrying for me but I managed to get it done in straight sets thankfully. “That is why we brought him in for this crucial match”.
The 27-year-old is still feeling his way back after a series of wrist injuries pushed him to the brink of retirement and Orsanic revealed that his marathon five hour battle with Murray on Friday had taken its toll on the 2009 US Open victor following a punishing summer schedule.
JUAN Martin who? The Murray brothers are busy re-writing the Scottish sporting stereotype but for Birmingham’s finest, Dan Evans, there was a taste yesterday of what is known in these parts as glorious failure. “From now on we can dream bigger”, a delighted Spain captain Conchita Martinez said after the win.
Unfortunately though for Great Britain, the doubles victory would not be enough to set them on a course that would lead to the final stage of the competition.
But all those hopes, dreams and aspirations, after Britain a year ago won the competition for the first time since 1936, fizzled out on Mayer’s strings.
Great Britain’s Davis Cup team may still be getting over its exit from this year’s competition, but it will discover as early as Thursday who it will play in the first round next time around.
“We worked really hard to get to this point again but we’ve had great times in Davis Cup and when you reflect back, we’ve had a hell of a run. It’s unbelievable and when you reflect back on it we’ve had a hell of a run”.
“We’ve got such a good team and for everyone to leave on a loss, which obviously hasn’t happened for a while, it adds a bit of extra salt to the wound”. “It gives players opportunities to play in what is an wonderful event”.
“We’ve had a great run”, he said.
In the process, the 29-year old British ace has won the Wimbledon Trophy and has defended his Olympic gold as well.
A exhausted Murray then lost to Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
Andy Murray (L) and Jamie Murray (R) of Britain in action against Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during the Tennis Davis Cup semi final between Britain and Argentina in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, 17 September 2016. “I’ve played so much tennis this summer”.
Advertisement
“I felt a lot of pressure on my serve That was it really – he served unbelievable. Because I accepted how I was going to feel [here] I handled it OK”.
