We’re in with shout now
The Murray brothers threww their country a Davis Cup p lifeline with yet another r sensational show when it t was most needed at Thee Emirates yesterday.
The Scots blew away Argentine duo o Juan Martin del Potro and Leo Mayer r to repair some of the damage inflictedd on their hopes of retaining the World d Cup of tennis on Friday. Argentina could have settled this s semi-final yesterday but Andy and d Jamie Murray were having none of that.t. Not on their turf. Their four-set 6-1, 3- 6, 6- 4, 6- 4 win n in three hours still leaves Britain n having to win both singles today. Dan Evans or Kyle Edmund will have to bring down del Potro, who beat the younger Murray on Friday. But like Andy, he has now spent more than eight hours on court this weekend. Evans, who has yet to play but had a match point against eventual US Open winner Stan Wawrinka earlier this month, is favourite to get the nod from captain Leon Smith. But for that to mean anything, Andy will have to win the f irst rubber to level at 2-2. Murray is confident it can be done, despite those eight hours’ hard graft under his belt. He is certain the tie is far from over and said: “We are still in a tough position but we are a bit closer than we were at the start and I still think we can come back.” The br o t h e r s claimed victory on another day of u nr e lent ing drama and at one set al l and a break down at 3-4 the alarm bells were ringing. But they rallied magnificently to reel off three games in a row – including two breaks – to take the set and they never looked back.
Andy admitted: “Yesterday was a tough day. We had to come out and get the win.”
The Emirates was rocking before a ball was struck and its foundations were tested when the Scots broke Mayer to love in his opening service game, having won the first through Jamie.
The older brother started in blistering form and in the blink of an eye the Brits were 3- 0 up. A second break, on del Potro’s serve, gave them a cushion and the set was taken 6-1 in just 26 minutes.
They didn’t kick on, though. Andy played a poor service game, peppered with two double faults and the Argentines burst into a 3- 0 lead early in the second set. That single break allowed the visitors take the set 6-3.
And it looked grim for the home favourites when Andy, clearly not at
Jamie & Andy put Brits back in the hunt with thrilling doubles win David McCarthy It was brilliant from the first point to the last in the match – the crowd was something else. It’s a huge privilege to be able to play with Andy in Scotland and have that amount of support
hihis bbest,t was bbrokenk tto givei theth visitorsi it a 4-3 lead in the third.
But these two are never finished. Mayer was broken and in the 10th game, a sizzling backhand down the line from Andy on del Potro’s serve converted a set point. Britain were 2-1 up.
The fourth set was no less intense but the Murrays seized control at 5-4. Mayer cracked and at 0-40, with the crowd going nuts, Andy slammed away a backhand volley at the net and turned to hug his brother.
Jamie said: “It was brilliant, from the first point to the last – the crowd was something else. It’s a huge privilege to be able to play with Andy in Scotland and have that amount of support.”
GB captain Smith is hoping the Argentine decision to play del Potro in the doubles will backfire. The Argentine No.1 is still recovering from a careerthreatening wrist injury and is unsure of how he will cope with another long match.
Del Potro admitted: “I didn’t expect to play eight hours in two days. I could be at risk if I had to play a match like Friday’s.”
Smith said: “They probably thought they had a good chance to tie it up.
“But it means he has had a few more hours in his legs, so if we can get that win in the first match, it’s up to whoever goes out for us to make him work as hard as possible.”
And he concluded: “We are going to need that Glasgow Roar again.”