Andy then claimed the decisive point with a straight-sets win against Tomic.
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“Even like before then, the match against Russian Federation and stuff, which may not be talked about right now, but they’re very relevant, a match where James and Dan (Evans) had big, big wins”.
The Belgian somehow moved out into a 5-4 lead and, with the decibel level rising again as the crowd scented blood, Murray needed to serve to stay in the set.
Murray’s victory closed the competition with Britain winning three of four matches. But, after another loss to Federer, his dignified speech, with his voice cracking as he tried to hold back the tears, did much to change opinions.
Not to be deterred, Goffin remained resilient and recovered from 15-40 to hold in the first game of the third before breaking to go 2-0 to the good. The next came in the fifth when a netted backhand brought up break point against Murray. As often happens, a failed break opportunity seemed to weigh on Goffin as two errors from the Belgian put him into a 0-40 deficit.
British tennis, for so long the punchline to gags about national sporting ineptitude, has recovered its pride after Andy Murray hauled a rejuvenated team to the altogether unlikely heights of its first Davis Cup triumph since 1936. With Goffin serving, the Belgian continued to string together errors as he fell behind 15-40 to give Murray match point. Cumulative pressure turned a fissure into a full-blown break as Goffin shanked a forehand to face an eighth break point.
Within minutes of the win, Twitter went into meltdown as users demanded Andy be knighted in the Queen’s New Year honours list, while there were also calls for the GB squad to be named the BBC’s team of the year at the Sports Personality awards. Sunday also was Murray’s eighth singles victory in a year’s Davis Cup play, tying the record of John McEnroe in 1982 and Mats Wilander in ’83.
But in winning 11 of the 12 rubbers it has taken for Britain to clinch the title, there is no doubt one man is primarily to thank. ‘It probably wasn’t the smartest thing for me to do last night.
“I probably haven’t been as emotional as that after a match that I’ve won”, Murray told reporters later as dance music still reverberated around the vast warehouse-like arena on the edge of the city. “I play a few of my best tennis when I am playing for my nation”. “That’s a credit to Leon and all of his team”. Two hours on the clock and Great Britain had the advantage once more. “We should celebrate tonight”.
Author JK Rowling declared the British number one a “superstar” while Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested Monday’s St Andrew’s Day should be renamed St Andy’s Day in honour of the achievement.
“He’s just incredible. But he’ll be the first to say that this is a team effort, and rightly so”, said Smith.
“I am so, so proud of him but I am proud of everybody”.
He is the first player to win eight live singles rubbers in a calendar year since the introduction of the World Group in 1981, and is only the second player to win 11 live singles and doubles rubbers after Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic in 2005.
“To have won all of the singles matches I played this year is great”.
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2010 – British Davis Cup tennis is at its lowest ebb with the country facing the real prospect of relegation to the fourth and lowest division of the competition for the first time.
