MURRAY MANIA: WORLD NO. 2 CARRIES GREAT BRITAIN TO FIRST DAVIS CUP TITLE SINCE 1936

Written by: Staff on 29th November 2015

MURRAY MANIA: WORLD NO. 2 CARRIES GREAT BRITAIN TO FIRST DAVIS CUP TITLE SINCE 1936

epa05047549 Britain's team celebrates winning the Davis Cup World Group Final between Belgium and Britain in Gent, Belgium, 29 November 2015. EPA/LAURENT DUBRULE |

By Ricky Dimon

Olympic gold medalist in 2012. Wimbledon champion in 2013. Now Davis Cup winner.

Two years removed from his most recent triumph at the All-England Club, Andy Murray is the pride of Great Britain once again. Murray delivered to his nation its first Davis Cup title since 1936 by defeating Belgium’s David Goffin on Sunday afternoon. His 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 triumph in the fourth rubber inside the Flanders Expo in Ghent gave the visiting Brits a 3-1 victory.

The Belgians had made the obvious choice to contest this tie on red clay in hopes of taking down Murray in either singles or doubles on the Scot’s least favorite surface. Ruben Bemelmans could not mount much of a charge on Friday before Goffin and Steve Darcis put up slightly more resistance in a four-set loss to Andy and Jamie Murray one day later. Thus the task was left to Goffin, whom Belgium figured would have a better chance against Murray on the slow stuff than on grass or an indoor hard court.

The home team figured correctly–but it still was nowhere near enough. Goffin, who lost to Murray 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 at Wimbledon in 2014 and 6-1, 6-0 earlier this month in Paris, accounted himself well over the course of two hours and 54 minutes. The world No. 16 dropped the first two sets by getting broken only once and he surged ahead 2-0 in the third before Murray recovered. Goffin finished with 24 winners and 34 unforced errors, a respectable ratio against a defender of Murray’s caliber–especially on clay. But the favorite was simply too good, recording 12 aces, no double-faults, 37 winners, and 22 errors.

Britain’s Andy Murray in action against Belgium’s David Goffin during the fourth match of the Davis Cup World Group Final between Belgium and Britain in Gent, Belgium, 29 November 2015. EPA/LAURENT DUBRULE

After Goffin saved one match point at 3-5, 15-40 in set three, Murray sealed the deal in fitting fashion. The two-time Grand Slam champion scrambled all over the court to stay alive in a bruising rally then tracked down a Goffin approach shot and answered it with a clinching backhand lob winner.

“It’s obviously an amazing feeling,” Murray assured. “I imagine it will take a few days before it really sinks in. (I) probably haven’t been as emotional as that after a match that I’ve won. I’ve been pretty upset having lost matches before. But I’d say that’s probably the most emotional I’ve been after a win.”

And to say the emotion was deserved would be an understatement. The Davis Cup may be tennis’ most significant–and really its only–team competition, but it was a one-man show from start to finish in 2015.

Murray won 11 live rubbers during Great Britain’s four victorious ties this year. He accounted for two points against the United States and all three at the expense of France, Australia, and Belgium. The 2013 Wimbledon winner sat out from doubles against Team USA after the British side had already built a 2-0 lead on the first day of singles action. Murray became only the second player to win 11 live rubbers in the same season following Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic in 2005.

“It has to be one of the best achievements of all time,” captain Leon Smith said of his star player when asked where it ranks in the history of British sport. “It’s incredible for all of us to watch how he’s managed to win that many rubbers, that many wins. It was absolutely incredible. Amazing.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Britain’s Andy Murray and head coach Leon Smith (R) celebrate winning the Davis Cup World Group Final between Belgium and Britain in Gent, Belgium, 29 November 2015. EPA/LAURENT DUBRULE

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Belgium, David Goffin, Davis Cup Finals, Great Britain, Jamie Murray, Ricky Dimon, Ruben Bemelmans, Sports, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

November 29, 2015 at 3:12 pm

#Murray Mania: World No. 2 Carries #GreatBritain To First #DavisCup Title Since 1936
https://t.co/khhGamyvcM @andy_murray #DavisCupFinal
hawt_red says:

November 29, 2015 at 5:09 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: MURRAY MANIA: WORLD NO. 2 CARRIES GREAT BRITAIN TO FIRST DAVIS CUP TITLE SINCE 1936 https://t.co/uVny9ZCJiG #tennis
SirWallyCooper says:

November 29, 2015 at 8:54 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: MURRAY MANIA: WORLD NO. 2 CARRIES GREAT BRITAIN TO FIRST DAVIS CUP TITLE SINCE 1936 https://t.co/uVny9ZCJiG #tennis