Murray Desperate to Win Davis Cup

The magnificent Murrays, Andy and Jamie, put Britain within touching distance of a first Davis Cup triumph for 79 years with a doubles victory over Belgium duo David Goffin and Steve Darcis in Ghent on Saturday.

The results: Belgium 1 tied with Britain 1 (David Goffin bt Kyle Edmund 3-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0; Ruben Bemelmans lost to Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2, 7-5).

Leon Smith’s team can still claim the Davis Cup for the first time since 1936 if he loses to world No 16 Goffin as James Ward or Kyle Edmund would then play the decisive singles match.

Neither Goffin nor Darcis play doubles regularly – they are ranked Nos 378 and 596 in the world respectively in doubles and had only ever played one tour-level match together – but adopted astute tactics.

World number two Andy was inspired, as he has been throughout Britain’s run to a first final since 1978, and can deliver the winning point in Sunday’s first reverse singles against Belgium’s top player Goffin. We fought hard for each other.

There were worrying moments for Murray when he received a penalty point for an audible obscenity before slipping 4-2 behind. Belgium had announced Steve Darcis and Kimmer Coppejans to play, but all the signs were that captain Johan van Herck would ask Goffin to join Darcis.

“I believe we can win the tie, obviously, otherwise there would be no point in us being there”.

Andy immediately turned the momentum into a quick serve game in the second set, and the Belgian fans responded with the same hissing noises they used to break his concentration on Friday.

Jamie’s service game was the weakness and it broke, crucially, in the second set and also at the start of the third.

There were five breaks in six games but the rock-solid presence on court was Andy Murray, who held throughout and served out the third set emphatically. “But I think it’s important for him to realise the level he can obviously play at, and now keep building on that”.

Andy carried the Murray brothers for much of the match, though Jamie was no slouch, especially nearer the end of the match. I knew I had the game to beat him and I was playing well enough. “We had our chances to do more in the first three sets”.

That would all change in dramatic fashion however, with Great Britain holding their own before finally carving out their first break point of the entire match.

“It was not for us the best tactic to go and play at the net and play real doubles, because I think the British were better”. Andy Murray swapped volleys with Goffin, before the Belgian hit the net to give the set to Britain.

Goffin, for whom this was a first win from two sets down, said: “Kyle played an unbelievable first two sets”.

“I was very anxious”, he said. But the unorthodox shot was a victor, and Belgium was back in the match.

The break came in the next game following a double fault by Darcis and a volley error by Goffin. “We’ll make sure Andy and whoever goes out for the second singles rubber is absolutely ready”. I did say that before the tie started. “In the doubles, Davis Cup is always tough, never easy, just because of the way doubles is played”.

“I said he didn’t need to compensate because I feel the crowd for a Davis Cup final was very respectful”, said Van Herck.