Day one of the 2015 Davis Cup final is over and the tie is level at the end of it. It’s been fun. Kyle Edmund briefly raised British hopes in the first match when he took an astonishing two-set lead over David Goffin, but Belgium’s world No16 fought back in the end and put the pressure on Andy Murray by winning in five sets. Yet you always knew that Britain could count on Murray and this victory over Ruben Bemelmans was rarely in doubt. Next up is tomorrow’s doubles, with the Murray brothers in action in the afternoon, and it will go a long way towards deciding who lifts the cup on Sunday. Until then. Thanks for reading and emailing today. Bye!
Great Britain's Andy Murray beats Belgium's Ruben Bemelmans 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 to level the tie at 1-1!
Murray is serving for the match. He wins the first point. He wins the second with an ace. But he loses the next one, a hopeful lob going long, and Bemelmans makes mincemeat of a weak second serve on the next one, a decisive backhand down the line making it 30-all. Murray keeps his cool, though, and he earns a match point with some neat serve-volleying. That’s all he needs - Bemelmans wallops a backhand return long and Murray has won! He enjoyed that and so did the Brits in the crowd. That final set was great theatre.
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 5-6 Murray (*denotes server): Now Murray’s after that break now and he wins the first point with a carefully placed forehand, before Bemelmans makes it 0-30 by lamely netting a forehand. Murray then demonstrates the gulf in class between him and Belemans by whistling a forehand return down the line to earn three break points. Bemelmans is clinging on for dear life now - and Murray loosens his grip with an emphatic forehand winner. Having saved a set point, he’ll serve for the match.
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Third set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-6, 5-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point for a 15-0 lead - but two scratchy errors make it 15-30 and suddenly Bemelmans is two points away from winning the third set! Murray’s in a bit of bother here and although he gets it back to 30-all, a double-fault hands Bemelmans an unlikely set point. Murray misses a first serve. A second one is sent to the Bemelamns backhand - and the Belgian sends his riposte long, which brings a huge yelp from Murray towards the crowd, who don’t like it being given back to them. Murray earns a game point, outlasting Bemelmans, and then he indulges in some gamesmanship by waiting as long as possible before his next serve. A baseline exchange ends with Bemelmans whipping a backhand wide and Murray holds.
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 5-4 Murray (*denotes server): Sensing that this could be a good time to strike, Murray begins the game with a beauty of a lob for a 0-15 lead. Yet Bemelmans lands a blow of his own with a forehand winner from right to left and he wins the next point with an astonishing sliced drop shot from left to right. That was superb. He backs it up with an ace down the middle for 40-15 and he holds when Murray lobs long. An excellent game from the Belgian means that Murray must hold serve to stay in the third set.
Third set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-6, 4-4 Murray* (*denotes server): The combination of Bemelmans, the crowd and the officials appears to have angered Murray. He takes a 30-0 lead and although two errors make it 30-all, he wins the next point with an ace down the middle. Murray holds to 30 when Bemelmans drifts a slice long. “This is magnificent theatre, but the Belgian crowd should be careful about trying to wind up Andy,” says Simon McMahon.
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 4-3 Murray (*denotes server): Murray gets his head in the game, driving a backhand past the onrushing Bemelmans to earn two break points. Bemelmans responds by whacking a forehand long, forcing it too much. Murray breaks straight back! That’s the cue for some Sweet Caroline.
Third set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-6, 4-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray wants to watch himself here. A brilliant drop shot, followed by a volleyed winner, makes it 0-30 to Bemelmans, who then finds himself with three break points. I’m momentarily distracted by a minor fracas in the press seats, where a well-oiled Belgian fans has to be removed by a steward. Murray saves the first break point with an ace, but then he sends a backhand wide to give Bemelmans the lead in this third set! Murray needs to get his head back in the game!
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 3-2 Murray (*denotes server): Murray is incensed with himself after failing to reach a drop shot on the first point. He wallops the ball into the net and utters an audible obscenity, the increasingly boisterous crowd show their disapproval and the umpire docks a point off Murray for his second code violation. Murray, never one to back down easily, engages in a long debate with the umpire, but he has to accept it. He’s loudly jeered as he walks back to the baseline. Yet it all seems to leave Bemelmans flustered. Having led 40-15, a double-fault makes it deuce. Then he misses a chance to hold, dumping a smash wide, and he nets a forehand to give Murray a break point. Yet Murray nets a backhand return. It’s deuce for a while and Murray is unable to take another break point, Bemelmans saving it with a forehand winner. Eventually he holds. Murray walks back to his chair and has another long discussion with a tournament suit.
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Third set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-6, 2-2 Murray* (*denotes server): A couple of Belgian fans have appeared in the press seats. They’ve got beer. That’s not fair. Murray holds to 15.
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 2-1 Murray (*denotes server): The girders here are so low that Bemelmans almost hit them with a lob on the first point. The ball just evades them and instead the point ends with Murray sending a smash wide. Yet he wins the next point and then he moves into a 15-30 lead, racing back and outwitting Bemelmans with a glorious flicked backhand. Even the Belgian fans are just beginning to appreciate the chance to see Murray live now. But Bemelmans is playing his part too. He saves a break point and he holds on to his serve.
Third set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-6, 1-1 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray holds to love. There’s a distinct lack of drama at the moment.
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Third set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-6, 1-0 Murray (*denotes server): This one feels less like a final and more like an early match at a grand slam. But Bemelmans does well to hold here after letting Murray get back to deuce from 40-15, an ace down the middle finishing off an unnecessarily longwinded job.
Great Britain's Andy Murray wins the second set 6-2; he leads 6-3, 6-2!
There are boos as Murray waits for a distraction to pass before his first serve of the game. They’re probably not going to put him off, though. Bemelmans tries a lob, but it sets Murray up for a lob for 15-0. Murray earns three set points when Bemelmans slides and nets a volley. He only needs one, Bemelmans sending a backhand return long. I doubt we’re going to see a Goffin-esque comeback from Bemelmans.
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Second set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-5 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelmans loves that drop shot. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It works and he leads 30-0. It doesn’t and soon it’s 30-all. And soon Murray has a break point. Bemelmans saves it with a fine forehand into the left corner that forces deuce, but Murray gets another - and he breaks for the second time in this set with a sharp backhand return from left to right. He’ll serve for a two-set lead.
Second set: Bemelmans 3-6, 2-4 Murray* (*denotes server): Bemelmans has no intention of making life simple for Murray and he’s still not been put off the drop shot by his opponent’s speed. At 0-15 he uses it - and then he pings a forehand pass beyond Murray for a 0-30 lead. Murray narrows his eyes and he works his way back to 30-all, before Bemelmans clips a forehand long. The out call is booed by the Belgian fans, but it looked long from where I’m sitting, and Murray holds to 30.
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Second set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 2-3 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelmans holds to 30 with a smash. He’s still in with a shout here.
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Second set: Bemelmans 3-6, 1-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray is cruising towards a relaxing hold to love - until a volleying Bemelmans claws it back to deuce. He holds a several game points, but Murray is having trouble finishing this one off. He gets another chance with a 174kmh ace - and then he hits the roof with a forehand. There’s a contender for the worst shot of the weekend. He stubbornly refuses to give Bemelmans any break points, though, and after five deuce points he holds with a smash. “I’m trying to think of an equivalent to what we could be witnessing this weekend, Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “Which is the GB men’s tennis team winning the Davis Cup. On clay. And I’ll be honest with you, I’m struggling. Freuchie winning the Village Cup at Lords in 1985? Andy Murray in Davis Cup 2015 is like Maradona in the 1986 Mexico World Cup.” It’s up there with Phil Neville’s memorable contribution for England at Euro 2000.
Second set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 1-2 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelmans is capable of playing some slick stuff at times and he responds well to going 0-15 down, a punchy couple of volleys making it 30-15. Yet Murray’s scampering must be so frustrating for his opponents. He hares back after a ball into the left corner and hooks the ball over Belmenans, who retreats and fires long for 30-all. But Bemelmans comes up with the goods here, volleying and drop-shotting for an important hold, one that makes sure Murray’s not totally out of his reach.
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Second set: Bemelmans 3-6, 0-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray loses the first point, this time coming out second best in a battle of wits and slice. He punishes himself by flicking a tennis ball that’s sitting in his left pocket against his thigh. That’s enough to propel him to a hold to 15.
Second set: Bemelmans* 3-6, 0-1 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelman makes a decent start to the game, breezing into a 30-0 lead. Yet he makes life difficult for himself with a woeful miss at the net and Murray spies an opening. At 30-all, he brings out the drop shot. He’s piecing it all together. Bemelmans has to come forward and that leaves him vulnerable to the lob. No one likes a lob more than Murray and it earns him a break point. Bemelmans thinks he’s got it to deuce with an ace, until the umpire lets him know that it was a let. The Belgian doesn’t look convinced but there’s nothing he can do apart from win the point - which he does. Yet Murray gets another chance when Bemelmans spanks a forehand long. Bemelmans hits on a new idea - it’s time to serve-volley. It’s not time to serve-volley. Murray sees him coming and zings a diagonal backhand winner past him.
Great Britain's Andy Murray wins the first set 6-3!
“Come on!” Murray cries as Bemelmans drills a backhand long to make it 15-0. Then he torments Bemelmans with a drop shot, finishing the point by gentling prodding the ball into the open court with his opponent out of position, before earning three set points with a careful backhand. Bemelmans keeps Murray waiting with a return winner, but the set goes to Britain when the Belgian nets a backhand return. No one is shocked.
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First set: Bemelmans* 3-5 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelmans is serving to stay in the set and a British fan has brought a trumpet to the party. He’s blasting out 2 Unlimited “No Limit”. The earworm inspires Murray to take the first point with some outstanding defensive play, but Bemelmans fights back to hold to 30. Murray will serve for the set.
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First set: Bemelmans 2-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Can Murray consolidate the break this time? He makes a solid start to the game, accurate serving helping him into a 15-0 lead. He’s not up for any funny business this time and soon he leads 30-0, Bemelmans sending a backhand wide. Another error from Bemelmans makes it 40-0 and Murray thuds a forehand away to hold to love.
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First set: Bemelmans* 2-4 Murray (*denotes server): Murray begins by winning an attritional rally, which isn’t much of a shock, before a double-fault from Bemelmans makes it 0-30. Bemelmans then balloons a forehand wide to give Murray three break points. Yet he saves the first with some forceful hitting, polishing off the point with a smash, and then the second with a volley, a stranded Murray tumbling at the back of the court. The Belgian fans roundly boo as Murray walks back to his chair and dusts himself down. The British fans cheer when Bemelmans hoicks a forehand long. Murray breaks.
First set: Bemelmans 2-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Another drop shot - you have to admire Bemelmans’ willingness to keep going to that shot against a player as quick as Murray. This time Murray sees it coming. He’s there in a flash and dabs the ball back with the help of the net. Bemelmans has time to pick a target, but that target turns out to be the net, and it’s 15-0. Bemelmans might think twice about using a drop shot again. Murray stays in control of the game and holds to love without much of a fuss.
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First set: Bemelmans* 2-2 Murray (*denotes server): After that shaky start, Bemelmans looks determined to enjoy himself out there. He’s having some fun, reaching a good volley and whipping a forehand pass beyond Murray for a 15-0 lead. And he’s using that drop shot to surprisingly good effect, another one making it 40-0. He holds to 15, Murray netting a forehand.
First set: Bemelmans 1-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Bemelmans shows a nifty touch at the net, feathering a drop shot away fora 15-30 lead. It’s not often you’ll see Murray beaten that way. He responds by walloping an urgent forehand away for 30-all, but Bemelmans then attacks a weak second serve and earns a break point by forcing Murray to deflect a backhand long - and he breaks back straight away with another beauty of a drop shot! Murray looks less than amused.
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First set: Bemelmans* 0-2 Murray (*denotes server): Bemelmans looks jittery out there and with good reason. He double-faults to make it 0-30, then again to make it 0-40. Murray already has three break points. He can’t take the first, but he doesn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough, Bemelmans hitting long at the end of a baseline grind. “Yeah!” Murray cries.
First set: Bemelmans 0-1 Murray* (*denotes server): The second singles rubber begins with Andy Murray opening the serving. There are a few empty seats about after the minor epic between Goffin and Edmund earlier, but a Murray error on the first point gets a cheer from the Belgians in here. Murray’s not flustered, though, rattling through four easy points to hold to 15.
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Play will begin shortly. The expectation is that Murray won’t be detained for long. Bemelmans, a 27-year-old left-hander, has a career-high ranking of 84 and his best performance was reaching the third round of the US Open earlier this year - after Jack Sock retired with cramp during their second-round match. Murray would have to be at his most bizarre if he loses this match.
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Ruben Bemelmans has joined us. The toss has been tossed. It’s time for them to knock up.
Here comes Andy Murray! Britain are 1-0 down, but you can afford to be a bit more relaxed about life when you can call upon the world No2.
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Preamble
Hello again. The pressure is on Andy Murray, with Great Britain 1-0 down after Kyle Edmund’s five-set defeat to David Goffin earlier. But it would be a major shock if Murray cannot beat Ruben Bemelmans, the world No108. Everything’s going to be fine! Everything’s going to be fine! Everything’s going to be fine! Keep saying it. Play begins shortly.
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