The fairly cheesed off Belgium team are warmly applauded back on to the court. They’re followed by the British team - who are introduced to the crowd as the world champions. What a glorious tennis nation! Sparks fly, red, white and blue confetti flies into the air and the trophy is lifted by the British team! Thanks for reading and emailing over the past three days. Great Britain have won the Davis Cup!
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While we wait for the trophy presentations, of course there’s still time for another round of Sweet Caroline. A little known fact: Neil Diamond was granted the freedom of the city of Ghent in 1992.
Andy Murray will rightly take most of the plaudits, but do not underestimate the contribution by Great Britain’s captain, Leon Smith. He took over a sinking ship in 2010 and just look at the team now. He has led with calm and poise. Jamie Murray has also played superbly in the doubles - and there was also James Ward’s crucial win over the USA’s John Isner in the first round. “Fabulously exciting – and did you know, it was the Brits who brought tennis to Belgium,” says Monica Kendall. “In 1886 the Lawn Tennis Club was founded in Brussels by the Brits for the Brits (and the occasional American and Belgian). So – it’s only fair! Fantastic match!”
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It’s St Andrew’s Day tomorrow...
Think we should rename tomorrow St Andy's Day
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 29, 2015
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“We are the best in the world!” says Simon McMahon. “We are the best in the world! We have beaten Belgium 3-1 at tennis. Belgium, birthplace of giants! David Goffin, Eddy Merckx, Plastic Bertrand, Herge, Kim Clijsters, Georges Simenon, Jean-Pierre Coopman, Raymond Goethals, Jacky Ickx, Jean-Marie Pfaff, Peter Paul Rubens, Jean Claude Van Damme, Rene Magritte, Enzo Scifo, Aldophe Sax, King Leopold III, Audrey Hepburn, Hercule Poirot, Willy Claes, Jan Cuelemans, Kim Huybrechts, Jean-Marc Bosman. We have beaten them all! We have beaten them all! Johan Van Herck, can you hear me? Your boys took a hell of a beating. A hell of a beating.”
I think Simon is quite emotional.
The Belgian fans are cheering David Goffin. He was outgunned today, but he played a wonderful match at times.
“It’s obviously very emotional,” Murray says, before paying tribute to the rest of the team. “I just can’t believe we did it, I never thought I did. It’s amazing. I’ve always played some of my best tennis when I’ve played for my country. All of the players on our team have played unbelievable tennis. That’s a credit to Leon and all of his team. A massive thank you to everyone who came to watch, all of the fans, the Belgians and the Brits. David is a great player. He is unbelievably talented. He made it a very tough match. I’d imagine we’d have a party tonight.”
After 79 long years, one very special man from Dunblane has once again done something very special for his country. Andy Murray is superb. How can you not love him?
Andy Murray beats Belgium's David Goffin 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 to win the Davis Cup for Great Britain!
David Goffin is serving to keep Belgium in the Davis Cup. Andy Murray doesn’t plan on letting him hold. He leaps into a backhand return and belts it away to lead 0-15, before Goffin drills a forehand into the net. He’s on the brink here. It’s 0-30. Goffin looks knackered. Somehow he finds the strength to win the next point with a forehand into the left corner for 15-30. Yet when he plonks one wide, Murray finds himself clutching two championship points. History beckons. The wait is almost over. But not quite yet. Murray squanders the first, netting a backhand return. But it is now! Goffin blooters a stunning forehand into the right corner. Yet Murray somehow slices it back with a forehand. It just goes over the net. Goffin is forced forward. He hits another shot, but to Murray’s backhand. Bad move. Murray spots Goffin out of position and he beats him with a beautiful backhand lob, the ball arcing over Goffin and landing well inside the baseline! That’s it! Great Britain have won the Davis Cup! Andy Murray collapses - he cannot believe what he’s just done - and he’s soon joined by the rest of the British team, who sprint out of their seats and jump on top of their brilliant, wonderful, magnificent, astonishing star.
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Third set: Goffin 3-6, 5-7, 3-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Goffin is still intent on giving this everything, cracking a backhand winner past a stationary Murray for a 0-15 lead, then he overwhelms him for a 15-30 lead. It’s not over. It’s Murray. It’s never straightforward. Yet Goffin lets himself down with two poor forehand returns and Murray leads 40-30 - but then he finds his range and the line with a forehand down the line, forcing it to deuce. Yet then he plays a low percentage shot, trying a backhand drop shot from out wide - it just about reaches the net - and Murray edges closer to glory with an ace. One more game.
Third set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-7, 3-4 Murray (*denotes server): A poor backhand miss from Goffin, who had time to pick his spot, gives Murray a 0-15 lead, which turns into a 0-30 lead after a brilliant backhand return from left to right by Murray. Goffin then knocks another backhand wide to give Murray three break points. Murray attacks a second serve and his blistering backhand return is deflected wide by a wounded Goffin. Murray breaks! He’s two games away from winning the Davis Cup.
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Third set: Goffin 3-6, 5-7, 3-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray has ever so slightly gone to pot on serve in this set and an errant backhand makes it 0-15. Yet he decides to stuff my words back down my throat with an ace down the middle for 15-all. Murray moves into a 30-15 lead, but Goffin hauls it back to 30-all, winning a game of wits at the net for once with a lovely block volley. An ace from Murray makes it 40-30, but Goffin forces it to deuce and earns a break point with a rasping forehand. Yet Murray saves it, serving down the middle, Goffin doing nothing with his forehand return. Murray earns a game point with his 11th ace and Goffin pulls a forehand wide.
Third set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-7, 3-2 Murray (*denotes server): Goffin holds to 15 very impressively.
Third set: Goffin 3-6, 5-7, 2-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Goffin makes a tremendous start to this game, zapping a backhand return past Murray’s feet for a 0-15 lead. He’s not going quietly. Trailing 30-15, a peach of a forehand from right to left is too hot or Murray to handle. Murray then nails a serve out wide. It’s called out but Murray asks the umpire to check. He sees that it was in, but the umpire bottles it and tells Murray to replay the point rather than awarding it to him. Murray still wins it, though, and he holds when Goffin stiffly nets a backhand.
Third set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-7, 2-1 Murray (*denotes server): Murray shakes his head clear. He lobs for 15-30. A splendid backhand pass makes it 15-40 and Goffin wallops a forehand wide. Murray breaks straight back!
Third set: Goffin 3-6, 5-7, 2-0 Murray* (*denotes server): The admirable Goffin keeps plugging away, charging into a 0-30 lead with two outstanding points. Murray makes it 15-30 with an ace down the middle, but then he gives up two break points, clumping a forehand long. He could have been a break up. Instead, he’s in a spot of bother. He saves the first. He does not save the second. Murray is broken for the first time when he nets a lame forehand. There’s still life in this final! Murray is given a code violation for a verbal obscenity.
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Third set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-7, 1-0 Murray (*denotes server): The Belgian fans look resigned to their fate now and the Brits are bouncing, but there could still be a lot of tennis in this. Goffin played some lovely tennis in the second set and it was just his luck to come up against an inspired Murray. But it’s a long way from here for Goffin. It’s looking like a round-the-world trip when he nets a couple of backhands to give a buzzing Murray two break points. Yet he saves the first when Murray is knocked off balance by a forehand that skids off the baseline and the second with a booming backhand down the line. He holds from there. Turns out it was just a quick walk to the corner shop.
Great Britain's Andy Murray wins the second set 7-5; Great Britain lead 6-3, 7-5
Goffin is probably going to have to play out of his skin to get himself out of this hole - and a searing forehand winner isn’t a bad way to start. Suddenly it’s Murray who’s gone flat and he nets a backhand for 0-30. He needs to regain his spark quickly. He doesn’t quite do that, but he’s clenching his fist when Goffin pings a backhand wide. Then a powerful serve down the middle forces Goffin to hit a return long for 30-all. Another wayward return from Goffin, this time on the backhand side, gives Murray his first set point. Goffin throws the kitchen sink at him. Murray chucks it back with considerable force and lands the killer blow with a staggering forehand into the right corner! He turns round and blows a kiss to someone in the crowd. Not me, I hasten to add. I assume it was for Kim. Great Britain are one set away from winning the Davis Cup.
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Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-6 Murray (*denotes server): Goffin puts his hand over his mouth in disbelief after directing an attempted drop-shot winner into the net at 15-0. Murray was nowhere near it. That feels like a potentially pivotal moment. Or not. Murray nets a backhand and Goffin leads 30-15. Soon it’s 40-30 after Murray surprisingly nets a backhand off a second serve. Yet Murray fights back to deuce with a shuddering forehand after a Goffin mishit drops short - and another shank from Goffin gives Murray his first break point for a while. The final could more or less be won here. They trade blows from the back of the court. The crowd is silent for once and there’s barely a beep - until Goffin blinks first and slaps a forehand into the net! Murray breaks at last and he’ll serve to give Great Britain a two-set lead.
Second set: Goffin 3-6, 5-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray has to hold serve to keep the second set alive and he outlasts Goffin to win the first point, the Belgian netting a forehand. Goffin then whacks a forehand wide at the end of a see-sawing rally and Murray wins the next rally with a dink down the line for 40-0, Goffin not quite doing enough with a prod at the net. Yet 40-0 becomes 40-30 after two tight shots from Murray. Yet Goffin nets a forehand and a relieved Murray clings on to his serve. Are we heading for a tie-break?
Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 5-4 Murray (*denotes server): Goffin locks it down at the net, skidding forward to put away a backhand volley for a 15-0 lead, before he zings an ace down the middle for 30-0. It’s 40-15 when Murray sends a stiff backhand long off a second serve and Goffin holds. These are dangerous times for Murray, who has to hold to stay in the second set. Goffin is playing very well in his service games at the moment.
Second set: Goffin 3-6, 4-4 Murray* (*denotes server): The noise is deafening as the players walk back from their chairs. Goffin is trying to gee the crowd up, not that they need much encouragement to turn up the volume. Murray wins the first point with an ace - it was called out, but Goffin sportingly points out that it found the line. Another ace makes it 40-0. Another one sees Murray hold. Crikey.
Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 4-3 Murray (*denotes server): A brilliant drop volley from Murray makes it 15-30. He was down 15-0, but he’s played two excellent points here, and this is a promising position. Yet Goffin stubbornly wins the next two points for a 40-30 lead. Murray shakes his head. He can’t quite pull clear at the moment. Goffin holds with a precise forehand down the line.
Second set: Goffin 3-6, 3-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray is serving superbly. He holds to love again, polishing it off with an ace.
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Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 3-2 Murray (*denotes server): A couple of misses from Murray lifts Goffin into a 30-0 lead, before a double-fault makes it 30-15. Yet he makes sure of a hold to 15 with some efficient serving.
Second set: Goffin 3-6, 2-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray whizzes through a love service game.
Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 2-1 Murray (*denotes server): At 30-all, Murray spots Jamie standing by the tunnel and furiously beckons him to get back to his seat. He wants his brother by his side. Jamie, who’s eating a protein bar, jogs back when Murray nets a forehand for 40-30 and he’s there to see the game go to deuce. Murray then earns a break point when Goffin drags a backhand wide, but he can’t take it, putting too much oomph into a forehand. It’s deuce for a while, before Murray somehow reaches a Goffin volley and dabs a volley down the line. How on earth did he get there? He was so far back. Here’s another break point. Yet Goffin is clutch again, smashing a forehand into the left corner; even Murray’s not getting that one. And Goffin holds. Time for more Sweet Caroline.
Second set: Goffin 3-6, 1-1 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray was 13 for 13 on his second serve in the first set. That’s pretty impressive. He wins another one here, a spinning, tantalising, deceptive drop shot making it 15-0. Murray moves into a 40-15 lead. At which point I notice that Jamie Murray has disappeared from the British bench. Gone to see a man about a dog, no doubt. It was quite a long first set. At 40-30, Murray is given a warning for a time violation before his serve - and Goffin wins the rally, the game going to deuce. Murray then balloons a forehand to give Goffin a break point. This is quite sloppy. He led 40-15. Yet he saves the break point with a big serve down the middle - and he holds with another one.
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Second set: Goffin* 3-6, 1-0 Murray (*denotes server): Goffin loses the first tussle of the game, but that doesn’t knock him off his stride, three outstanding points helping him into a 40-15 lead. Yet Murray just ... will ... not ... let ... go. He barges his way back to deuce with a pinpoint backhand down the line. Yet Goffin bangs a zesty serve down the middle and he holds when Murray nets a forehand.
Great Britain's Andy Murray wins the first set 6-3!
Goffin controls much of the first point, forcing Murray to scamper, but he ruins his good work by yawning a drop shot into the net for 15-0. Murray looks a little nervous, but he closes in on the first set when Goffin nets a forehand, and he earns two more set points with a big serve. This time he shows no mercy. A stinging forehand is enough to win the set. Great Britain are two sets away from winning the Davis Cup for the first time since 1936.
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First set: Goffin* 3-5 Murray (*denotes server): “Yep,” Murray mutters, as a fizzing forehand gives him a 0-15 lead, before Goffin knocks a backhand long to make it 0-30. Murray is two points from taking the first set here. He can’t take the next point, though, a defensive lob bouncing back off the girders, which are a lower than they should be, but a Goffin double-fault gives Murray two set points. Goffin saves the first with an ace and Murray sticks a backhand return into the net to bring it to deuce, but a pounding forehand return from Murray earns him a third set point. It goes begging again, though, a Murray lob landing inches wide. Three set points sinking down the drain, Goffin is able to hold and Murray will have to serve for it.
First set: Goffin 2-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Looking to consolidate that precious break, Murray finds himself at 15-all after a Goffin smash, the Belgian responding well in the face of adversity. Yet Murray slices a 172kmh ace out wide for a 30-15 lead and Goffin, trying to find a way through his opponent’s defence, then puts too much into a forehand. That’s 40-15. And Murray holds with an absurd defensive forehand that somehow turns into the most outrageous of winners. He’s a game away from the first set. Goffin must hold now.
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First set: Goffin* 2-4 Murray (*denotes server): Goffin looks like he’s in a right funk about something as he steps up to serve. He’s even more annoyed when Murray somehow repels his advances at 0-15 and eventually hooks a stunning forehand pass from right to left for a 0-30 lead. Murray then overwhelms Goffin with the cleanness of his hitting to earn three break points - and he then gives a second serve the treatment with a backhand return. “Andy should win, shouldn’t he?” says Simon McMahon, who’s sat at home in his Union Jack suit. “And with a bit to spare. I don’t like it. Tell me it’ll be ok.”
First set: Goffin 2-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray makes a scratchy start to this game, a backhand going long on the first point, a dismal attempt at a drop shot making it 15-30. He knuckles down with a resounding serve down the middle for 30-all, but he gives Goffin his first break point when he nets a backhand. Before Murray’s second serve, an idiot in the crowd whistles - sling him out. Murray is getting frustrated with the constant interruptions. But a good second serve forces Goffin to hit long. Murray then comes up with an amazing defensive slice that earns him a game point. A towering forehand is enough for him to hold. Goffin is having a go a the umpire as he walks back to his chair for the changeover.
First set: Goffin* 2-2 Murray (*denotes server): Now it’s Goffin’s turn to race into a 40-0 lead on serve thanks to a few errors from Murray. That should calm any lingering nerves. In theory, communism works. In theory. Murray gets back to 40-15. But Goffin holds him with his first ace.
First set: Goffin 1-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray boulders into a 40-0 lead with an ace down the middle. He holds to love with a whipcrack forehand.
First set: Goffin* 1-1 Murray (*denotes server): Murray drags Goffin to the net with a drop shot - but he sends a lob wide to make it 15-0. The umpire has to remind people not to use flash photography before the next point, which is won by Murray when Goffin nets a forehand. Goffin is struggling to get his first serves in and he falls to 15-30, losing an attritional rally with a wide backhand - but a stonking forehand winner makes it 30-all. Murray responds by crunching a backhand return away to earn a break point - but Goffin saves it brilliantly, pummelling Murray with a series of vicious groundstrokes and winning the point with a monstrous forehand for deuce. Goffin holds when Murray nets twice.
First set: Goffin 0-1 Murray* (*denotes server): David Goffin won the toss and chose to receive first. Andy Murray is booed as he prepares to hit the first serve, which isn’t very sporting. Then there are huge cheers as Goffin wins the first point with a fizzing forehand winner for 0-15. Yet Murray then draws on the memory of his doubles victory yesterday, making it 15-all with a volley. The game goes to 30-all when Murray knocks a backhand long. There is a lot of crowd disturbance before Murray’s serves, which is most tiresome. These clowns who think we’ve come to listen to their nonsense. But their lameness doesn’t stop Murray holding to 30.
James Ward is not here on court with the rest of the British team. That’s a clear sign that he’ll be playing instead of Kyle Edmund if it goes to a fifth rubber.
Murray looks like he’s already playing the match, the way he’s hitting the ball during the warm-up.
Tok! Tok! Tokity tok! They’re knocking up. The atmosphere is building.
Five! Four! Three! Two! One! There go the curtains!
“Let me hear you one more time! Where are the fans from Great Britain!” A question that’s met by a chorus of boos. We’re not very popular, are we.
Is Sweet Caroline a big hit in Belgium? They’ve played it before every match here and the crowd has loved it every time. I suppose that’s only natural.
Hello. James Ward is the only survivor from Great Britain’s famous relegation play-off victory against Turkey in 2010 and Leon Smith will be praying that he does not have to call on him this afternoon. The other members of the team that day, Jamie Baker, Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski, are gone. In their place stands, well, the fairly imposing figure of Andy Murray and five years after they almost plunged into Davis Cup oblivion, Great Britain are one victory away from winning the Cup for the first time since 1936.
The final will come to a premature end if Murray beats David Goffin in the fourth singles rubber and most judges expect the world No2 to be too strong over five sets for Belgium’s best player. Murray has not dropped a set against Goffin in their two previous matches and he won 6-1, 6-0 when they met in Paris a few weeks ago. Goffin, the world No16, is hugely talented, comfortable on clay and the owner of a eminently watchable game, and the backing of this boisterous home crowd will only increase his determination to upset the odds and take this into a fifth rubber. Belgium still have hope of lifting the Davis Cup trophy for the first time.
If Goffin wins here, it will be Ward against Steve Darcis in a decider - the potential for drama exists. Yet Murray is revved up after he won yesterday’s crucial doubles against Darcis and Goffin with his brother Jamie; one more push. He’s beaten John Isner, Donald Young, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Bernard Tomic and Ruben Bemelmans to get Britain to this point. He looked sharp in hitting practice this morning - and you may recall that he’s made history before, against even better players than Goffin.
Play begins at roughly 12pm GMT and 1pm in Ghent.
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