That. Was. Absolutely. Massive. Great Britain now lead the tie 2-1. If Andy Murray beats Simon (or might Richard Gasquet, out through fatigue, be drafted in?) in tomorrow’s first match, it’s all over. The Murrays showed such great resolve this afternoon. After Andy Murray was broken in the first game of the match, eventually costing them the opening set, they took time to find their rhythm – understandably so – but were not broken again and looked more and more like a team as the match progressed. Similarly to Andy’s match against Tsonga yesterday, coming through a tough tie break in the penultimate set was the prompt to setting up a more straightforward final seven games. It was a match of supremely high level in which the French pair more than played their part – and sets us up for a marvellous final day’s action tomorrow. Join us then, and thanks for your company today!
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Great Britain win 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
Jamie Murray serves for what could be the decisive match of this tie. Pressure? Maybe. A second serve is sharply returned by Mahut and Andy Murray can’t control his volley. 0-15. Tsonga when gets out the forehand bludgeon but Jamie holds laudably firm twice and eventually wins the points from Mahut. But another good Mahut return then falls to his feet and he can’t dig it out. 15-3o and hope for France. More hope for France as Jamie then leaps into Tsonga’s return but volleys into the net. 15-40! First break point saved by a big, deep first serve that Mahut prods long. The next serve is superb too, out wide to the Tsonga backhand and Andy makes short work of what comes back over. Deuce. Jitters averted? Possibly, as Mahut nets a return and Great Britain have match point! Which Jamie Murray delivers, smashing an overhead down the court from Tsonga’s high return!
Fourth set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 5-1 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): If Tsonga can hold serve, we’ll be here a tad longer. He wins the first two points with little fuss, before Andy Murray swats away a volley after solid defensive work from Jamie sets it up. Two more points are exchanged quickly for 40-30, and then some whirlwind-like net play from both teams ends with Andy Murray wrapping around a lovely cross-court forehand winner to take us to deuce. Tsonga escapes deuce straightforwardly enough, but it’s a stay of execution only.
Fourth set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 5-0 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): The aim now, on Andy Murray’s serve, will be to kick the French while they’re down. A Tsonga error and an ace boom us to 30-0. The British pair have just got better and better here, both individually and as a team. Another ace, 40-0 – and the first game of the match, when Andy Murray was broken, seems a world away. Jamie does slice a backhand into the net, though, to keep everyone honest. Not for long – Mahut goes long from a return and Great Britain are on the verge.
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Fourth set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 4-0 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): Neither of the doubles specialists has been broken yet, and Mahut needs to continue that to give his pair realistic hope. A Jamie Murray backhand return that Tsonga can’t react to in time puts him 0-15 down. Then Jamie tosses up a lob that Mahut can only chase down and loft up in hopeful, token response, and Jamie thrashes it away for 0-30! Now the British crowd scent blood. Then clinical, scampering play from Andy to convert a volley when Mahut pushes one up to him and Britain have three more break points. Mahut double faults on the first and Great Britain have broken again! That, surely, is pretty much that.
Fourth set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 3-0 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga jams a backhand wide and before you now it, Jamie Murray’s thus-far impregnable serve is 30-0 to the good. Make that 40-0 – Tsonga stretching and falling, a bizarrely common theme this weekend, to make a volley that is meat and drink to Andy. It’s wrapped up with an ace! Great Britain firmly in control now!
Fourth set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 2-0 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga needs to give France a foothold here. They’re far from out of this, and it’s well worth trying to move Andy Murray about a bit if they can, testing that injury out. Arnaud Clement is on his feet to contest some controversy on the first point, when somebody from the crowd appeared to call a good Jamie Murray return wide. He has a long chat with the umpire and the audience are admonished, but the Murrays still get the point and France need to regain composure. A lax Tsonga cross-volley, with Jamie in his eyeline, won’t help with that – it’s 0-30 – but France win the next point and that leads to some animated chat between their pair. Mahut volleys the next point away and all seems better with their world. 30-30. But then Mahut goes wide of the left tramline with the most elementary of smashes – what a miss from a player with his strengths! – and Britain have a break point. It’s saved when Andy Murray can’t quite make a first-serve return. Another wayward Tsonga volley, another break point. It’s dispatched by a Jamie Murray volley at the net! Britain are on the way now....though France will later note that a first serve called wide on the penultimate point was actually good. But nobody challenged it, and nobody in dark blue will care!
Fourth set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga forces a Jamie Murray error for 15-15. But Great Britain win the next two points, the second of them ever-so-delicately tickled away by Jamie, and then a thudding Andy Murray first serve gets the home team up and running again.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) Tsonga/Mahut: Andy crashes down a fine first serve of his own for 3-3, and then a booming ace for 4-3 and a huge “C’monnnn!!”. A superb, deep volley from Mahut puts France in control of the next point and Tsonga can finish it off easily enough. 4-4. But Mahut can’t do a lot about Jamie’s next return, Tsonga being forced to float his volley up and Andy volleying for a mini-break and 5-4! Jamie serves, Tsonga returns with the backhand, Jamie flies into the volley, falling over again, and it’s well long. 5-5 here. Andy swats one away for 6-5 and the first set point, on the Tsonga serve. Can they? They can! Andy Murray returns brilliantly, Mahut dives to volley, and he can’t control it! Andy is jumping about, the crowd are too, Great Britain win the third set and lead 2-1!
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Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 6-6 (2-3) Tsonga/Mahut (tie break): What a start for the Murrays, Jamie pushing a clean return down the tramlines for a mini-break from Mahut. Tsonga cancels that out, bashing down a forehand from Jamie’s serve that can’t be scooped back over, but Mahut then goes long for 2-1 to Great Britain. Boom! That was the sound of a clattering ace from Tsonga for 2-2, and another one can’t be controlled by Jamie so we’re at 3-2 to France, on serve.
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Third set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 6-6 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Big, big test for Andy Murray now. He has to serve to keep Britain in the second set, so how’s that injury? Not bad judging by a cannily-placed ace, very wide but not too pacy, for 15-0. His next effort is returned long by Tsonga but he volleys into the net from a better Mahut riposte in the next point. 30-15. Jamie Murray then gets involved, reacting well to dispatch with a Tsonga forehand, and then jabs out athletically to prod a lofted Mahut return across court to take us to the tie break!
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 5-6 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): We restart at 40-15, and a Mahut volley closes it off.
Okay, Andy Murray is up and will continue....
Jamie Murray actually slipped over at the end of that point too. We saw Tsonga take a couple of tumbles here yesterday as well, didn’t we? Meantime, we wait and see what comes of Andy’s treatment. It’s not looking brilliant just now...
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Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 5-5 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Game still in progress. Tsonga pushes a volley long for 15-15 and that all came about after Mahut kept a ball in play that he probably didn’t need to. Then a long point is won well by Tsonga at the net but Andy Murray might have done much better with an overhead halfway through it. And....ooohhh....Andy Murray is in trouble here, clutching what seems to be his hip or groin area after falling during the next point. He gets up, gingerly, and takes some medical treatment at 40-15. He does not look happy. It came when he tried to push off on his left foot and slipped, seemingly straining something on the right side of his groin. He’s lying now taking some physio and a few hearts are in mouths for now.....
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Third set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 6-3, 5-5 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Andy Murray does very well to second-guess a Mahut stretch volley to win the first point, and a thudding first serve from Jamie does the job for 30-0. Andy cleans up a volley from Mahut’s return and this set looks no closer to a resolution. A Tsonga return that Jamie, running across court, cannot pick up sufficiently sets a kitten among the pigeons, one that soon scampers away after a long Mahut return.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 4-5 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): Mahut is yet to be broken but if that changed here it could be huge. Three excellent first serves make that prospect unlikely, and France seem to have got a bit of their earlier form back now. Tsonga “Yaaaazaaaaa”s approvingly at the third of these points. The fourth goes to a second serve but is polished off at the net by Mahut. Super-convincing hold from him and the pressure is now on Jamie Murray.
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Third set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 4-4 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Mahut unfurls an excellent reverse backhand to put France 0-15 up – haven’t seen much of that from him, as his best work has been at the net. Murray aces for 15-15 and then Mahut can’t quite get as lucky with his next return, which plonks into the net. Tsonga can attack the second serve next, but is over-zealous and wayward. 40-15. Another ace, and nobody looks especially breakable here just now.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 3-4 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Good serving from Tsonga gets us to 30-0 swiftly enough, but then Mahut misses an overhead after Jamie Murray had done well to make things awkward by keeping a wide first serve in play. Tsonga then bashes away an overhead of his own, the ball breezing just past Jamie’s head, but double faults for 40-30. A return to normal – well, better – service in the form of an ace brings this set closer to the no-margin-for-error stage.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 6-3, 3-3 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): If this match does go the distance we’re at around the halfway point now, you’d imagine. Left-hander Jamie Murray serves out the first two points to 30-0. Then Andy wins a duel with Mahut at the net, making him dig it up from his feet, and the British do look the steadier pair these days. A stiff Tsonga backhand into the net and that’s another very good hold from the Murrays.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 2-3 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): A meaty Andy Murray return brings up 0-15 and puts Mahut under pressure, but Tsonga then adjusts into a wonderful volley, close to his body, from a decent enough return by Jamie. Andy then hits a routine enough forehand way long, and it’s 30-15. More cute play from Tsonga at the net – and he hasn’t really shown a lot of that brings up 40-15. Jamie then returns and maybe Tsonga can attempt a volley but he leaves it to Mahut, who is off beam. And then a luscious reaction volley from Jamie Murray, leaving his racquet in the path of a Mahut shot and bringing us to deuce! Tsonga wins his third net point of the game to give France the advantage, and Andy – furious with himself – then nets. But the last two games have seen serves challenged a bit more sternly again.
Third set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 2-2 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga starts aggressively and forces Andy Murray to net. 15-15. Then Jamie crashes down a morale-boosting overhead at the net. Those never fail to get the crowd cheering. Then Andy booms down a winner, followed by a good second serve that Jamie finishes off. Then a bit of a lifeline for France as a Tsonga shot that was heading out clips Jamie’s racquet – deuce – but the game is then finished by two more solid Andy serve.
Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 1-2 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga was broken in the last set but goes 30-0 up in his first service game of this one. And the game is wrapped up entirely uneventfully. As I said, just in the last few games serve has not really been troubled.
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Third set: A Murray/J Murray*4-6, 6-3, 1-1 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Beautiful, controlled play at the net by both Murrays is finished by a cute volley from Jamie that Mahut, stretching and tumbling, cannot get onto. Two points after that there’s another of those sequences where Britain can’t nail a succession of overheads, until Andy finally finishes the job with an accompanying gutteral howl. The game is then won. Serve is dominating, just for now.
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Third set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 6-3, 0-1 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): Tsonga’s typical exclamation upon winning a point goes along the lines of “Yazaaaaaaaaaaa!” He gets an early chance to yell it, and then Mahut volleys deeply for 30-0. Two points later and an easy early hold for Mahut. They needed that.
Second set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 6-3 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): A skewed Tsonga return kindly sets up Mahut to level this game at 15-15. Jamie Murray, so quick at the net, gets ahead of Andy to snaffle up the next point, and then Tsonga goes long from a return and Britain have two set points. 40-15. A fine first serve from Jamie, a miss from Mahut and Great Britain take the second set!
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Second set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 5-3 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Andy Murray, who has really warmed to his task, finished off the first point after Jamie returns a soft second serve sharply. Then Jamie outfoxes Tsonga at the net and Britain are two points from the set. An ace brings Tsonga back into it and a wide first serve into the Andy Murray backhand gets us back to 30-30. Another ace, and Tsonga – who hasn’t really played well this set – is almost out of trouble. Andy Murray then dollies one up for Mahut to clean up at the net, almost smacking it into Jamie and apologising for so doing.
Second set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 5-2 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Sensational pickup from Andy Murray, just as Mahut seems to have punished a fairly slow second serve. 15-0. In the blink of an eye we’re at 30-30 after Tsonga returns deliciously and Jamie can’t get across in time. No matter; two points late Jamie polishes a simple volley off and the Murray can smell parity!
Second set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 4-2 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): “We are family” blasts out of the Queen’s speakers. I get it. The brothers win the first point here as Tsonga, distracted by Jamie at the net, gets his bearings wrong. But the next three points go France’s way and they certainly need to get few consecutive successes together here. Tsonga volleys solidly to make sure they at least win the game.
Second set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 4-1 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): The Murrays’ tails are up now and so are the crowd’s. GB captain Leon Ward, too, clenches his fist. They go 40-0 up quickly here and Queen’s is well up for this now. A lovely deep volley from Jamie and it is Britain’s second successive hold to love!
Second set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 3-1 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Backhand from Andy Murray that he might have made gets Tsonga’s nose in front. But Mahut can’t do much about a subsequent forehand and its 15-15. Still feel Andy is playing a little within himself, although of course he’s far from a doubles specialist and has needed to feel his way into this. Mahut then misses, which has been very rare from him at the net, and we’re at 30 apiece – and then he misses really badly with a relatively simple forehand that does, on replay, hop up a bit to him, and the Murrays have their first break point! And they take it! A Tsonga volley isn’t called long, but it’s challenged and....it was indeed long!
Second set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-6, 2-1 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Borderline farce as the Murrays, four times in a row, can’t put smashes away before Andy finally makes sure for 30-0. Tsonga then hits a wayward backhand for 40-0. And shortly afterwards, a sharp Jamie volley secures the second hold to love in a row.
Second set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6, 1-1 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): Oh, the chaps in Union Jack suits from yesterday are back, singing “Barmy Army”. Unfortunately for them, Mahut cleans up all four points of this one for probably the most straightforward hold of the match.
Second set: A Murray/J Murray* 4-6, 1-0 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): The Murrays need a better start to this set; they lost the last one in the first game. They begin positively, with Jamie across to polish off a backhand volley, but Tsonga wrongfoots Andy with a beefy forehand return for 15-15. Then Mahut returns solidly enough for Andy to net a volley from very close up, which gives France half an opportunity. Andy redeems himself with a crucial, deft pickup as Tsonga winds up another big forehand and then Mahut, with the second of two lobs, goes long for 40-30. It’s deuce though, as Andy jumps high to make a volley and hits very long. A carbon copy of the sequence two points before, but with Tsonga the protagonist, gives Great Britain the advantage, something that Andy confirms when he puts another volley away.
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First set: A Murray/J Murray 4-6 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Mahut is across like lightning to put Jamie Murray’s return away from a slow-ish Tsonga second serve. Tsonga then can’t reach across to control an Andy Murray forehand, so it’s 15-15. Another fine piece of work at the net from Mahut edges France ahead again – you can certainly see who the doubles specialist is in this pair, and they reach out for the same ball, with Mahut I think getting the volley in, to create two set points. Smashed away by Mahut, who was brilliant in that game, and France win the first set!
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First set: A Murray*/J Murray 4-5 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Tsonga whacks a big forehand down the middle from a second serve and Jamie Murray can only go long. It’s 15-15, but he gobbles up the next one easily enough as Great Britain serve to stay in the set. Jamie then flicks away a gossamer-like volley, right to left, across the net and there’s daylight. That clears further when Mahut nets, and Tsonga will now serve to give France a one-set lead.
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First set: A Murray/J Murray 3-5 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): Mahut’s first serve isn’t bad, right into Andy Murray’s body, but he does brilliantly to control his backhand return and win the point. Two points later, a similar serve but a different outcome as Andy cannot readjust and Tsonga has a simple volley for 30-15. Then Mahut volleys awkwardly, flatly, and Jamie can’t beat the net with an attempted pass. The game is then wrapped up with a wide serve that Andy can’t wrap his forehand around.
First set: A Murray/J Murray* 3-4 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): A well-placed backhand across the court from Tsonga, taken early, levels this game at 15-15. Mahut then goes long, Jamie’s serve having jammed into his body. No doubt that the Britons have sharpened up after those rusty first two games, but Tsonga then darts across to slice down a backhand volley for 30-30. Jamie Murray calls Andy off to make himself room for a straightforward smash to avert a possible break point, and then thunders down a superb first serve for the hold.
First set: A Murray/J Murray 2-4 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): Another lofted shot from Jamie Murray forces Mahut back and Andy’s resulting volley is too good for Tsonga, who makes up for that with his next serve. Jamie then returns flatly, slickly and Tsonga’s pick-up lands in the net. 15-30. Another good first serve and an ace seem to dig Tsonga out of trouble; the latter is challenged but the ball had landed in. Tsonga then rattles down a fiery second serve to take the game.
First set: A Murray*/J Murray 2-3 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Mahut tries one of those racquet-behind-the-body flicks to repel an Andy Murray volley, but it’s at too close quarters. Andy then double-faults for 15-15, before Mahut nets with both Britons in close attendance and then goes long. 40-15, and a third wayward Mahut shot gives Great Britain the game.
First set: A Murray/J Murray 1-3 Tsonga/Mahut* (*denotes server): The French have had that extra bit of zip so far, and they take the lead in this game when Jamie Murray, running into the net, can’t quite control a volley close to his body. Mahut smashes away the next point, too, for 30-0. Then, from a shot that Andy Murray might feel he could have passed Mahut with, the Frenchman stays rock-solid at the net and puts another volley away. Tsonga then chops one long – 40-15. A bit of Jamie Murray improvisation forces Tsonga to chase after a lob and Great Britain eventually win the point to tighten it up further. But a tight backhand wide from Andy gives the French another hold.
First set: A Murray/J Murray* 1-2 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): The first two points are exchanged and then Andy Murray plonks away an easy enough volley for 30-15. A small communication breakdown, I think caused by the sun, puts the British pair on the back foot during the next point and a superb Tsonga single-handed backhand forces Andy into an error. It matters not, as Jamie Murray puts in a good second serve and a couple of decent volleys, and Great Britain are off the mark.
First set: A Murray/J Murray 0-2 Tsonga*/Mahut (*denotes server): A fine first serve and a deep, careful volley onto an Andy Murray return mean Tsonga wins the first two points for France. Andy then nets and it’s 40-0 quickly enough. There’s a rousing cheer as Jamie scampers across court to flash away a volley from a Tsonga shot that was probably going out anyway, but it got the crowd going. But Mahut, with a nicely-angled volley out wide, wraps up a comfortable game.
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First set: A Murray*/J Murray 0-1 Tsonga/Mahut (*denotes server): Andy Murray serves first and the French quickly go 0-30 up, Tsonga clobbering away the second point with a rapid forehand return. Two points later, a superb pickup from Jamie does enough for 30-30, but then Tsonga opens up the forehand we saw in full throttle at times yesterday to earn France a break point. The break is confirmed when, after some rat-a-tat with Andy at the net, Mahut arrows in a forehand that is too good for Jamie to get anything on.
Last-minute instructions are being dished out. Drinks are being taken. Now we begin....
France’s captain is Arnaud Clement, who you’ll remember from his playing days. I can’t remember ever having seen him not wearing sunglasses before.
Get those emails in this afternoon, if you’re reading – address above. Do you enjoy the Davis Cup vibe? And could the winner of this tie go all the way to winning the trophy?
The teams are out. Even the non-playing players. Must be a bit of a “what if?” moment for Inglot as he walks out. He’s taken one for the team today, perhaps due to Andy Murray finishing off Tsonga in three sets rather than anything longer yesterday.
“A lot of people were asking me if they could create a Davis Cup atmosphere at the Queen’s Club and I think they proved everybody wrong today,” said Andy Murray after yesterday’s games. It was certainly frisky in there – and I can spy numerous Union Jacks fluttering away today, as well as a sizeable French contingent.
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Three games in three days for Andy Murray, then – after only a handful of days off post-Wimbledon. Where Great Britain are concerned, this tie seems to be all on him...
Here’s a reminder of how things went yesterday – after which, Murray mulled over the possibility of competing today:
“I always want to play but I’ve also had a long few months,” Murray said immediately after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three straight – if not straightforward – sets. “It’s about doing what’s best for us to win the title. We’ll chat about it and hopefully I can play.”
Later he added: “I feel fine just now, tired in general, but how I would expect to feel after the last few months. Luckily we have options. We need to be smart and I need to be very honest about how I am feeling.” That is as strong a public nudge for the captain as the world No 3 dare allow himself but it shows his commitment to a competition that he once, long ago, was accused of ignoring.
Good afternoon!
Sunny one here in London, but how will the outlook for this delicately-poised Davis Cup tie – it’s one apiece after yesterday’s singles – look after the doubles? It’s big one, this. Although neither of tomorrow’s matches (Andy Murray v Gilles Simon and James Ward v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga) are dead certs at all, if they go according to expectation then that would be two wins apiece. So these doubles could well be the crunch, the pivot on which this entire tie turns, quite possibly the event that ultimately decides it all.
Who do we have? We have Andy Murray, that’s who! He’s been parachuted in late on to replace Dominic Inglot, for whom one might feel a little sorry without knowing what goes on behind the scenes. But this is a ruthless business and Leon Smith, the Great Britain captain, clearly wants his biggest name out there against a vastly experienced French pair. Murray will, of course, be partnered by his brother Jamie, who is ranked 20 in the doubles charts.
For France, Tsonga – beaten by Andy Murray yesterday – will partner Nicolas Mahut, who is 33 now and has carved out a nice career as one of the sport’s genuine all-rounders. Mahut is ranked 64 for singles and 22 in the doubles list, and is perhaps best known for taking place in the longest match in history five years ago.
So we have excellent singles specialists and two top-level doubles players in our midst. Looks too close to call, to these eyes; should be a superb afternoon’s tennis at what was, yesterday, an uncharacteristically boisterous Queen’s. Send your emails and tweets in, and let’s have fun...
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