By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, March 6, 2015
British No. 1 Andy Murray beat Donald Young, 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, to stake the host to a 1-0 lead over the USA in Davis Cup.
Photo credit: @USDavisCupTeam.
Donald Young wore headphones on court to quiet the voices of the partisan Glasgow crowd infiltrating his head as he walked out to face favorite Scottish son Andy Murray in today's Davis Cup opener.
Ultimately, there was no muting Murray in his impressive homecoming.
Davis Cup Preview: USA vs. Great Britain
Playing his first Davis Cup match on Scottish soil since 2011, Murray roared through 12 of the first 14 games then denied Young's comeback bid in a 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 triumph.
The world No. 5 staked Great Britain to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five match World Group tie between the two original Davis Cup nations.
American No. 1 John Isner will try to even the tie taking on James Ward in the second singles.
Young's twisting lefty forehand has been a key stroke to the best season start of his career as he reached the Memphis semifinals then stormed to the Delray Beach final, falling to Ivo Karlovic.
When Young's at his best he can drive the heavy topspin forehand deep to create space on court, then step in and flatten his forehand down the line.
Murray largely neutered that weapon with his stinging two-handed backhand, imposing serving and oppressive defense at the outset.
Staunch defense and his opponent's tight nerves earned Murray the break in the opening game.
Young netted a point-blank overhead into net and scattered a forehand as Murray broke for 1-0. When the American left a stetch volley hanging near the service line, Murray roared in for forehand pass down line breaking again for 4-1.
He backed up the break with a fourth consecutive love hold for 5-1 then closed out a commanding set breaking at love. Murray won all 12 points played on his serve; Young managed just eight points in a lopsided set.
When Young again surrendered serve at love to fall behind 0-2 in the second, he had won just nine points through the first nine games. Young's two-handed backhand is not a weakness, but it's not a major strength either. Under pressure, he can poke at that shot and lose the depth and direction.
Murray, who permitted just six games to Young in a 1, 2 and 3 victory in the 2014 Davis Cup opener on the red clay of San Diego, continued to torment the American's two-hander.
"No backhand means no chance against Murray," one fan said.
Moving beautifully, striking with depth and serving with conviction, Murray breezed to a two-set lead after just 44 minutes.
It was a near immaculate performance from Murray, who committed just one unforced error through the first two sets.
At that point, the result recalled a Steffi Graf match where the opponent fights to at least push past the one-hour mark before an inevtiable demise.
To his credit, Young didn't go away. He fought back.
Hitting out on his second serve, he won eight of 12 second-serve points in the third set. The world No. 47 converted his first break point of the day and snatched away the third set when Murray floated a forehand long.
It was a temporary reprieve.
Murray broke for a 2-1 advantage in the fourth set and maintained his grip for the duration. Closing the one hour, 58-mintue match with a forehand drop volley and fist pump, Murray set Scottish flags waving.