By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, September 20, 2015
Andy Murray swept Bernard Tomic, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2, scoring his third win of the weekend to send Great Britain into its first Davis Cup final in 37 years.
Photo credit: British Tennis
The Union Jack was flying and Andy Murray was soaring.
Playing his third match in three days, Murray took the court for today's clash with Bernard Tomic facing multiple challenges.
More: Murray Brothers Put Britain On Brink of Davis Cup Final
Murray carried the pressure of trying to clinch Great Britain's first trip to the Davis Cup final since 1978, while concerned he could feel physically flat and emotionally depleted after partnering brother Jamie in a pulsating five-set doubles victory over Sam Groth and Lleyton Hewitt yesterday.
A jacked up Murray bounced around the blue court as if celebrating a long-awaited homecoming.
Murray outclassed Tomic, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 sending Great Britain into its first Davis Cup final in 37 years and the faithful into full-throated frenzy.
Great Britain will face either Belgium or Argentina in the November 27-29th Davis Cup final.
The Glasgow-born Murray gave his hometown—and nation— cause for celebration contributing all three points in clinching Team GB's Davis Cup semifinal conquest of Australia at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.
"Obviously delighted, fought extremely hard the whole weekend," Murray told Annabel Croft in his on-court interview afterward. "Everyone played their part on the team. I'm glad to finish it off today."
Widely regarded as one of the best returners in the game, Murray set the tone on serve today. He slammed 15 aces, won 17 of 21 second-serve points and faced just two break points in the match raising his Davis Cup singles record to 25-2.
It was an exceptional effort from the 28-year-old Scot, who shrugged off his US Open fourth-round loss to Kevin Anderson earlier this month producing some of his most dynamic tennis of the season this weekend.
The two-time Grand Slam champion surrendered just six games dismissing frequent practice partner Thanasi Kokkinakis in the opening match on Friday. The Murray brothers roared back from a set down to deny Groth and Hewitt in a thrilling three hour, 56-minute doubles victory that set the up the clincher today.
"It's been a very tough weekend for me physically and obviously mentally it's draining as well," Murray said. "A lot of emotions out there in yesterday's match. It was an incredibly tough one, loads of ups and downs, and obviously turned out to be the crucial one as well. I'm glad we got that win yesterday. I'm very proud."
If Murray was feeling any nerves confronting this monumental moment he did a good job disguising them.
Slashing an ace to open the match, Murray looped a rainbow lob to break for a 3-1 lead. Murray's only real misstep came when he failed to serve out the opening set at 5-4. Earning triple set point in the 12th game, Murray tormented the slower Tomic with a drop volley winner for a one-set lead.
"He's pretty good isn't he?" British captain Leon Smith said of Murray. "It's pretty amazing watching his work over the whole weekend. He just fights so hard. He's got the quality, we know that, he's a great champion. Yet again today he came out and executed perfectly. From start to finish he was brilliant. Yesterday, you see what he goes through in the doubles. It was such an important win yesterday with Jamie. Just nothing but respect."
It's a sentiment shared by Tomic, who has yet to take a set from Murray in three career meetings. The lanky Aussie was consistently coming up second best in running rallies and Murray repeatedly worked the drop shot and lob to expose Tomic's limited mobility.
A pair of Tomic errors enabled Murray to take the 28-minute second set. The world No. 3 hit seven aces and won 21 of 24 points on serve in the second set.
Reality set in for Tomic, who was looking increasingly weary and a half-step slower when he dropped serve to trail 2-1 in the third set. Murray smacked successive aces stretching the lead to 3-1.
A full-stretch defensive lob kept Murray in the point and when Tomic slapped another flat forehand into net, the Scot had his second break of the set and a commanding 5-2 lead.
A drop shot drew the error for match point. When Tomic sailed a return, Murray thrust his arms in the air capping a commanding performance.
Hall of Famer Fred Perry led Great Britain to its last Davis Cup championship way back in 1936. Murray, who is 8-0 in Davis Cup play this season, will try to bring the Cup back to Britain in two months time.
"It's been a great weekend. I'll definitely enjoy it," Murray said.