This weekend, four men have the chance to write themselves into sporting history. The four men in question are Andy Murray, his brother Jamie, James Ward and Kyle Edmund.
Together they make up the Great Britain Davis Cup team and if they seal victory on Sunday, they will be Britain's first successful Davis Cup team since the Fred Perry days of 1936.
It has been an extraordinary journey for Great Britain's male tennis team ever since Leon Smith took on the captaincy in 2010. At that point, Britain had slumped to a humiliating defeat in Lithuania, putting them on the brink of relegation to the lowest level in European Davis Cup participation.
However, Smith's quiet understated manner and intelligent tennis brain brought an instant impact with a 5-0 defeat of Turkey in July 2010. Since then, the team have won ten ties and lost only two (one of those was to this weekend's opponents Belgium in 2012, but they were lacking talisman Andy Murray).
After narrowly losing out to an inspired Italian side in the quarter finals in 2014, Murray and his teammates have made it a personal mission to win the 2015 edition of the Davis Cup. It began with a stunning victory over America in Glasgow in March, the highlight of which was Ward's remarkable comeback from two sets down against the man who lives for five setters John Isner.
After Andy had beaten Donald Young earlier in the day, it looked all set to finish 1-1 on the first day after Isner took the first two sets. Buoyed by a raucous Emirates Arena crowd, Ward launched arguably the best display of his career and held his serve and nerve superbly to win the fifth 15-13.
Jamie Murray and his partner Dominic Ignlot also threatened an unlikely comeback in the Saturday doubles against the best pair in the world; the Bryan Brothers but the American pair held on. However, Andy wasn't going to let this chance slip on the Sunday and defeated Isner to seal a first home victory for Britain against America since 1935.
The quarter final again pitched Britain against one of the world's strongest male tennis playing nations as France came to play on the grass at Queens Club. Ward couldn't produce more heroics as he lost the first singles rubber against Gilles Simon before Andy levelled up against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The Murray brothers then teamed up in the doubles, which was to prove the start of a fruitful partnership for Britain and they came from a set down to defeat Nicholas Mahut and Tsonga to give Britain a 2-1 lead going into Sunday.
Andy looked absolutely dead on his feet against Simon. A set and a break down, it looked like Ward would have to beat Richard Gasquet to keep the Davis Cup dream alive. Murray wasn't about to put that pressure on his countryman and produced a comeback to win in four sets, at the end of which he couldn't hide his emotions.
That set up a semi final in Glasgow in September against the Aussies. Andy started off the semi final in blistering fashion, losing only six games in his straight sets win over Kokkinakis.
Smith had made the slightly controversial decision to hand Dan Evans the second singles slot for the tie, but although he lost to Bernard Tomic he put up a brave fight in four sets and more than justified his inclusion. The tie always looked like being decided by the Saturday doubles and so it proved to be.
The fans inside the Emirates Arena were treated to an unbelievable five setter as the Murray brothers dug into their deepest energy reserves to see off the fired up Aussie pair of Sam Groth and Lleyton Hewitt coming from a set down and also holding their nerve in the decider.
Despite Andy once again looking shattered, he swept aside Tomic on Sunday to seal a first appearance in the final for GB since 1978.
Now that final is fast approaching with the proceedings kicking off at 12.30 tomorrow. And what an interesting tie there is to start the final. Leon Smith has given the nod to 20 year old Kyle Edmund to play alongside Andy Murray in the singles.
Edmund will be making his debut in the Davis Cup in the final. No pressure Kyle. Smith has decided to go with him due to his excellent recent clay court form (the tie is being played on an indoor clay court), which included a Challenger Tour title win over clay court specialist Carlos Berlocq in Argentina two weeks ago. This year Edmund also won in five sets at Roland Garros against ten time clay court title champion Stephane Robert.
For me, you have to trust the judgement from Smith who has been a magnificent captain who has taken Britain to a level no tennis fan in this country could have dreamt of. He has obviously seen enough in practice and over recent tournaments to know that Edmund is more than capable of producing a surprise opening win over David Goffin, the world number 16 and Belgium's key man this weekend.
There can be no doubting Edmund will need to produce the performance of his life to win but if this year has taught us anything it's to expect the unexpected when it comes to the Great Britain Davis Cup team.
Murray will then come up against world number 108 Ruben Bemelmans who has been given the nod over Steve Darcis, who once beat Nadal at Wimbledon and who has been vital in their run to the final. With all due respect despite Murray having never played Bemelmans before I don't foresee Murray having too many problems.
The Saturday doubles will see the Murray brothers take on Darcis who will line up alongside 21 year old Kimmer Coppejans, who played in their win over Canada. Taking a lead into Sunday's singles will be vital and that is why Ward has been retained in the possibility of having to win a fifth rubber, with Darcis also a possibility to come in.
Overall, Britain have already upset the odds by beating the other three nations who host Grand Slams annually and all this with only one available player in the top 50 (Aljaz Bedene can't yet play for Britain in the Davis Cup). Contrast that with France who currently have four players in the top 20.
Murray is of course the key man and it simply would have been mission impossible without him but everyone has played their part. Ward's heroics against Isner and Jamie Murray's play in the doubles have also made this possible. Kyle Edmund might well become the star this weekend.
Despite Murray's success over the last decade, Britain still isn't a tennis loving nation. A win this weekend would be a massive boost heading into 2016 and be one of the sporting achievements of the year.
No comments:
Post a Comment