Kyle Edmund beaten by David Goffin in Davis Cup final opener

The Scotsman managed to get Great Britain back on track after Kyle Edmund was beaten by David Goffin in a thrilling five-setter earlier this afternoon.

CHESS Sixteen-year-old Karthikeyan Murali of Tamil Nadu emerged sole leader with 8.5 points after beating Swapnil Dhopade of Railways in the 12th and penultimate round of the ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship in Thiruvarur yesterday.

A left-hander, he clearly came out with a plan to break up the Murray rhythm.

Murray has also been a vital cog in the machine, playing in all but one of the nine ties in the lead up to this weekend’s final. The fourth set went 6-1 and while British fans hoped the psychology of the match might turn when Edmund went off for a toilet break, this time Goffin was able to hold his nerve. But when you’re playing as part of a team, your job is more than just about preparing for yourself. You feel like you’ve let them down. “But you’re right in the moment, you’re emotionally attached to it. You’re just disappointed you couldn’t do it for the team”. It should also prove useful to Murray and Britain’s cause that this rubber wasn’t dragged out for any longer, and didn’t get any messier. Murray, unlike Edmund, simply took his time, blew into his palms, waiting for the umpire to do his business, and continued.

It might have been a very different picture had Edmund not wavered or had Goffin not switched the momentum so effectively in the third set of that opening rubber.

Murray wasted no time exerting his authority on the match, breaking Bemelmans at the first attempt in the first set to take a 2-0 lead, only to be unexpectedly broken back on his very next serve.

The Belgian remained remarkably dogged and showed no signs of flagging, much to the joy of his supporters.

A typical thumping backhand victor by the Dunblane man flew past his opponent to secure the double break in the second set before a few more unforced errors from the Belgian handed Murray the initiative in cementing the break for a 2-0 lead after a second set that lasted 46 minutes.

With two hours on the clock, they were poised at 4-4.

What he did lose Friday evening was his temper, receiving the point penalty in the fifth game of the third.

The Scot then had to save a set point after double-faulting, letting out a huge roar as Bemelmans failed to return a second serve that must have caught the back of the line.

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.

Edmund did not sound like he expected, or perhaps even wanted, it to be him. I trust everyone in the team from all of the staff to all of the players.

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

The world No 2 said: “I believe in myself”.

“I think obviously big match tomorrow”, Murray said.

Murray relished playing the pantomime villain, celebrating theatrically when he saved a set point in the third, and making a performance out of waiting for complete silence between points.

Edmund was the first man since Feliciano Lopez in 2003 to make his Davis Cup debut in a final but he opened this match like a grizzled veteran.