PHEW... WE’VE DONE OUR BRIT
Jamie and Dom beat nerves to win their vital doubles rubber and edge team to brink of win
Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot dumped Serbia in their Davis Cup doubles match yesterday to give Great Britain a great chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Team GB need to win one of today’s two singles in Belgrade to make the last four.
The defending champions led overnight thanks to Kyle Edmund’s convincing victory over Janko Tipsarevic but James Ward was just as well beaten by Dusan Lajovic in the delayed second rubber played yesterday afternoon.
That left the tie firmly in the balance, with the doubles rubber seen as crucial to both teams’ hopes. There were plenty of nerves on show but the British pair recovered from a wobble at the end of the second set and the start of the third to win 6-1 6-7 (2-7) 6- 3 6- 4 against Nenad Zimonjic and Filip Krajinovic.
Murray and Inglot had only played one previous Davis Cup rubber together before, losing to America’s Bryan brothers in the opening round last year.
Murray – shouted on by watching brother Andy – said: “We’re really happy to have that win going into Sunday.”
And GB captain Leon Smith said: “It’s great for Dom to have his first Davis Cup victory. Jamie’s really experienced and it’s great we can rely on him to come out and do what he does.
“Dom has a big weapon with his serve and it’s good to have that, especially at the end there.”
Inglot added: “Serving out was a little nerve-racking but with Jamie at the net you know he will help you out.”
The Serbians had named Tipsarevic in their doubles pair on Thursday but he revealed after Friday’s match he was struggling with illness.
Ear lier Ward, whose ranking has slipped to 240, played like a man lacking in form and confidence as he lost 6-1 6-3 6-2 to Lajovic.
Edmund will have the chance to win the tie when he takes on Lajovic, the Serbian No.1 in the absence of Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki, in what looks a tough match to call. But Smith backed Edmund to handle the pressure, saying: “It helps to be 2-1 up. They know they have to win that first match.
“Kyle’s very level- headed and grounded in his approach. We saw how he reacted against Tipsarevic and I’ve got every confidence he’ll be able to play his game.”
Should Lajov ic beat Edmund, the tie would come down to a deciding f ifth rubber between Ward and probably Tipsarevic, with Serb capta in Bogdan Obradovic hinting he would stick with the 32-year- old despite his poor showing on Friday.