Goffin in for doubles against Britain

The British number one was bidding to level the match at 1-1 after Belgium’s David Goffin recovered from trailing 2-0 to complete a 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 win over Britain’s Kyle Edmund in the opening match earlier in the afternoon.

World number two Andy Murray, undefeated in Britain’s journey to the final including six singles wins, plays unfancied Ruben Bemelmans later when he is expected to level the tie.

Bemelmans needed to come out firing in the second set.

Murray reacts to saving set point.

But Goffin turned the tide in the third set and despite sending sending down a fourth double-fault on his first set point, he was back in the match.

“I believe in myself, I believe in me and Jamie as a doubles team, as well”, he added.

Murray and Smith were furious and had a lengthy conversation with Ramos and then referee Soren Friemel, who was soon on court again to issue Belgium a team warning because their fans refused to be quiet during play. The main problem for the Belgian was his first serve, as he put in only 19 of 46 first serves in those two sets. “That was why I went to speak to the umpire, because literally I had no idea about either of the warnings since you can’t hear anything on the court”.

“So I’m surprised he could hear what I was saying!”

Murray appeared to enjoy his series of run-ins with the home crowd, who were so raucous Belgian captain Johan van Herck was even ordered to keep them in line.

Edmund, 20, took the opening two sets against a player ranked 88 places above him.

Van Herck said: “Okay, there was noise, but there will always be noise”.

He said: “I don’t mind a feisty atmosphere like that”. Goffin’s attempts to play his way out of trouble with a succession of ground strokes got him nowhere, with Edmund hitting everything back easily before moving 5-0 ahead with an emphatic forehand. Edmund finished the first with an ace and broke Goffin’s serve three times to win the second in 27 minutes as Goffin double-faulted on set point after doing the same at the end of fifth game. He’s ranked 16 in the world, plays well on the clay.

“I can take a lot of positives out of it. At the end I was very upset emotionally”.

The British No 3 won the first five games, and would have won the set to love had he not missed the baseline with a forehand by the smallest of margins. You’re playing for your country, you’re playing for your team-mates. Obviously he will be devastated that he could not convert his position, and will probably feel he has let the team down, but he should not have that attitude. It was the first time in his career that he had won a match after losing the first two sets. “He played really aggressive with his forehand”. “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”. I tried to stay calm, to manage it very well. The tie to go to the fifth match can be backed at 37/20 while 11/2 can be taken on the contest being all over after the doubles. He will hope today’s match unfolds in a similar manner for the pressure is today all on the visitors.