Doubles pair take Britain to the brink of semi-final
GREAT BRITAIN need to win one of today’s singles matches against Serbia to reach the Davis Cup semi-finals again after Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot won the doubles rubber in Belgrade.
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 on Saturday afternoon.
That left the tie firmly in the balance, with the doubles rubber seen as crucial to both teams’ hopes, but especially to those of Britain.
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.
Britain raced through the opening set and had chances in the second set, too, missing four break points, and Zimonjic took full advantage in the tie-break.
The start of the third set was the key to the match, with Serbia playing confidently, and Inglot and Murray came under pressure on their serves.
But they weathered it and finally ended a run of nine unconverted break points when Zimonjic doublefaulted to trail 5-3.
Britain made it five games in a row to lead 2-0 in the fourth and survived a nervy last service game from Inglot to make it 15 doubles victories from the last 17 rubbers.
Earlier, Ward played like a man lacking in form and confidence as he went down 6-1 6-3 6-2 to world No. 81 Lajovic.
Afterwards Ward said: “It’s one of the heaviest clay courts I’ve ever played on. It definitely doesn’t suit my game. But he was very good today.”
Kyle 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 Troicki, in what looks a very tough match to call.
A Lajovic win would send the tie into a decisive fifth rubber between Ward and either Tipsarevic or Krajinovic.