I can still hardly believe it! Great Britain are actually Davis Cup champions, the tennis equivalent of the football World Cup.
Coming from somebody who regularly updates you all on the British tennis successes around the world on a daily basis I never thought that one day we would be top of the tennis world in a team event. Yes we have Andy Murray as our star, but all year this has been a team effort from Great Britain.
Kyle Edmund, James Ward, Dom Inglot, Jamie Murray and Dan Evans have all played there part this year in the Davis Cup. Whether it is actually winning matches and causing upsets like Ward did against John Isner in sensational style or just a player showing and giving the best of his abilities, the GB team have never been so tight and their is genuine love for each other
With all the security scares in Belgium over recent weeks there was an initial doubt as to if the final could or would go ahead on schedule. Ghent is a major Belgian City and although security was stepped up considerably it wasn't noticeable on TV, - it will be interesting to hear from the spectators courtside as to how safe they felt?
There was a huge British presence in the crowds, trying to make as much noise as their Belgian counterparts. Big groups of university supporters as well as individual supporters packed into the Flanders Expo Arena to watch the drama unfold.
On Day 1 young Brit Kyle Edmund faced the biggest match of his young career by having to open the Davis Cup final and play the 1st rubber against Belgian number 1 and ATP top 20 player David Goffin. Nobody expected too much of Kyle (except myself - I thing he is a tremendous talent) but Edmund showed great maturity in his play. He knows Goffin isn't the most powerful of tennis players and so used his forehand to hit heavy shots and take the game to the Belgian. For the first 2 sets it worked! The crowd gasped as Kyle took a 6-3 6-1 1-0 lead over David! Could the upset happen, it looked like it!!
However Kyle started to tire, Goffin got stronger and from a winning position Edmund quickly collapsed with his power not being maintained and his accuracy dwindling. The Belgian won 18 of the next 20 games of the match to win 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 and give Belgium a 1-0 lead in the tie. Edmund should be proud though.... he forced Goffin to play 5 sets which will have tired the Belgian for his remaining matches in the tie. Kyle definitely therefore played his part in the victory.
The 2nd match on Friday was far more straight forward. Ruben Bemelmans had the unenviable task of having to play world number 2 Andy Murray. The Belgian showed his ability and shot making skills throughout the match but Murray was never in any real trouble and pulled the Davis Cup tie level with a straight sets win.
Andy Murray had told Leon Smith before the final that he was available for the doubles match on the Saturday if needed. Leon thought the Murray brothers combined doubles power and ability to play together effectively as the deciding factor and it was Andy & Jamie who teamed up with Inglot the spectator. The British pair were heavy favourites but faced a very tough match indeed against Steve Darcis and David Goffin, who was also drafted in because of his tennis quality rather than his doubles results! Jamie Murray's serve was constantly under pressure especially in the 2nd set and 3rd set. Andy though is a great tennis brain and they managed to sort out a plan to defeat the Belgians. The match was very entertaining and there were many close games. But in the 4th set the Brits gained more confidence and saw the finishing line taking it in 4 sets. Great Britain led 2-1 going into final day..........
When you are leading a Davis Cup Final 2-1 going into the last 2 singles matches it is always nice to know that Andy Murray is in your team. The Brit knew if he won the match with David Goffin then the trophy would be GB's. However if he lost then the pressure would be on his teammates to try and win a deciding singles rubber, not something Andy wanted to see, nor the British fans!
Goffin started brightly and had an opportunity to break Murray in the 5th game of the match. Thankfully Murray's serve held up and from then on the Brit never looked back. Murray won the 1st set 6-3 and just when everyone thought the 2nd set was heading to a tie-break Murray managed to save another BP and then take the set 7-5, giving himself a big lead in the tie. - the title was nearly his and his country's.........
Goffin though went a break up early in the 3rd set - surely he couldn't make another huge comeback? Thankfully Not! Murray broke back straight away and this seemed to break Goffin once and for all. The point of the match came exactly at the right time - match point for Andy Murray. He defended and defended before lifting a lovely precise lob over Goffin's head that landed perfectly at the back of the court to seal the win for Murray & Co.
This Davis Cup title means so much to Murray, he fell to the floor in joy and his teammates soon embraced him on the court with delight. What a year for British tennis, what an effort from the players, what an effort from the whole background staff, the travelling fans, the captain Leon Smith and more than anyone....... Andy Murray.
I am sure there will be some big celebrations in Ghent tonight as families, fans and the GB players celebrate a magnificent achievement for British tennis and their own individual careers. A Davis Cup title is huge for the CV of these players and they all played their part.
That brings an end to the 2015 tennis season..... but its only a few weeks until everyone heads to Australian and some sunny weather in search of success in 2016... same again GB boys?
..
Coming from somebody who regularly updates you all on the British tennis successes around the world on a daily basis I never thought that one day we would be top of the tennis world in a team event. Yes we have Andy Murray as our star, but all year this has been a team effort from Great Britain.
Kyle Edmund, James Ward, Dom Inglot, Jamie Murray and Dan Evans have all played there part this year in the Davis Cup. Whether it is actually winning matches and causing upsets like Ward did against John Isner in sensational style or just a player showing and giving the best of his abilities, the GB team have never been so tight and their is genuine love for each other
With all the security scares in Belgium over recent weeks there was an initial doubt as to if the final could or would go ahead on schedule. Ghent is a major Belgian City and although security was stepped up considerably it wasn't noticeable on TV, - it will be interesting to hear from the spectators courtside as to how safe they felt?
There was a huge British presence in the crowds, trying to make as much noise as their Belgian counterparts. Big groups of university supporters as well as individual supporters packed into the Flanders Expo Arena to watch the drama unfold.
On Day 1 young Brit Kyle Edmund faced the biggest match of his young career by having to open the Davis Cup final and play the 1st rubber against Belgian number 1 and ATP top 20 player David Goffin. Nobody expected too much of Kyle (except myself - I thing he is a tremendous talent) but Edmund showed great maturity in his play. He knows Goffin isn't the most powerful of tennis players and so used his forehand to hit heavy shots and take the game to the Belgian. For the first 2 sets it worked! The crowd gasped as Kyle took a 6-3 6-1 1-0 lead over David! Could the upset happen, it looked like it!!
However Kyle started to tire, Goffin got stronger and from a winning position Edmund quickly collapsed with his power not being maintained and his accuracy dwindling. The Belgian won 18 of the next 20 games of the match to win 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 and give Belgium a 1-0 lead in the tie. Edmund should be proud though.... he forced Goffin to play 5 sets which will have tired the Belgian for his remaining matches in the tie. Kyle definitely therefore played his part in the victory.
The 2nd match on Friday was far more straight forward. Ruben Bemelmans had the unenviable task of having to play world number 2 Andy Murray. The Belgian showed his ability and shot making skills throughout the match but Murray was never in any real trouble and pulled the Davis Cup tie level with a straight sets win.
Andy Murray had told Leon Smith before the final that he was available for the doubles match on the Saturday if needed. Leon thought the Murray brothers combined doubles power and ability to play together effectively as the deciding factor and it was Andy & Jamie who teamed up with Inglot the spectator. The British pair were heavy favourites but faced a very tough match indeed against Steve Darcis and David Goffin, who was also drafted in because of his tennis quality rather than his doubles results! Jamie Murray's serve was constantly under pressure especially in the 2nd set and 3rd set. Andy though is a great tennis brain and they managed to sort out a plan to defeat the Belgians. The match was very entertaining and there were many close games. But in the 4th set the Brits gained more confidence and saw the finishing line taking it in 4 sets. Great Britain led 2-1 going into final day..........
When you are leading a Davis Cup Final 2-1 going into the last 2 singles matches it is always nice to know that Andy Murray is in your team. The Brit knew if he won the match with David Goffin then the trophy would be GB's. However if he lost then the pressure would be on his teammates to try and win a deciding singles rubber, not something Andy wanted to see, nor the British fans!
Goffin started brightly and had an opportunity to break Murray in the 5th game of the match. Thankfully Murray's serve held up and from then on the Brit never looked back. Murray won the 1st set 6-3 and just when everyone thought the 2nd set was heading to a tie-break Murray managed to save another BP and then take the set 7-5, giving himself a big lead in the tie. - the title was nearly his and his country's.........
Goffin though went a break up early in the 3rd set - surely he couldn't make another huge comeback? Thankfully Not! Murray broke back straight away and this seemed to break Goffin once and for all. The point of the match came exactly at the right time - match point for Andy Murray. He defended and defended before lifting a lovely precise lob over Goffin's head that landed perfectly at the back of the court to seal the win for Murray & Co.
This Davis Cup title means so much to Murray, he fell to the floor in joy and his teammates soon embraced him on the court with delight. What a year for British tennis, what an effort from the players, what an effort from the whole background staff, the travelling fans, the captain Leon Smith and more than anyone....... Andy Murray.
I am sure there will be some big celebrations in Ghent tonight as families, fans and the GB players celebrate a magnificent achievement for British tennis and their own individual careers. A Davis Cup title is huge for the CV of these players and they all played their part.
That brings an end to the 2015 tennis season..... but its only a few weeks until everyone heads to Australian and some sunny weather in search of success in 2016... same again GB boys?
..