“Andy Murray was on court to win the third and decisive point of the Davis Cup final this afternoon”, wrote the Telegraph s Simon Briggs.
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Murray said that he would take some days off to recover from the effects of such a long season and then start some warm-weather training leading into the Australian Open which starts in mid-January. In his on-court speech Murray showed his soft side, saying through tears: “I can cry like Roger, it’s just a shame I can’t play like him”.
“To have won all of the singles matches I played this year is great”. Goffin finished with 24 winners and 34 unforced errors, a respectable ratio against a defender of Murray’s caliber-especially on clay. I was fortunate enough to captain a lot of British Davis Cup ties and I’ve never seen anyone as resilient as Andy Murray.
“I probably haven’t been as emotional as that after a match that I’ve won”.
“Hopefully we can all use it in a positive way to further our careers in the next few years”.
Goffin raised home hopes with his first break of serve in the second game of the third set.
“It’s a hard day tomorrow”.
“But we lost to the better team”. “There’s a huge task ahead of us”.
This marks Britain’s 10th Davis Cup victory.
Murray cited the quarter-final victory over France at Queen’s Club in July as the point he began to believe Britain’s current crop could emulate Fred Perry’s class of 1936.
Murray wrapped up the first set with a forehand victor but there was no chance of Goffin’s challenge fading. He jumped around wildly, clenching his fist and pointing it at British supporters.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions to Britain’s Davis Cup win. “So have to enjoy that”.
The 28-year-old Scot won all three of his matches in Ghent, two singles and a doubles with brother Jamie in between. Goffin also clinched the set, hitting an off-balance volley while bending down and with his racket next to his shoulder. Murray broke into tears, unable to hold his emotions in check.
The second match was played between Andy Murray and Rubén Bemelmans.
The break came in the next game following a double-fault by Darcis and a volley error by Goffin. He displayed the mental and technical precision that’s helped him claim two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold, serving 12 aces while creating 14 break-point opportunities and converting five.
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“It has to be one of the best achievements of all time”, captain Leon Smith said of his star player when asked where it ranks in the history of British sport.
