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Sunday, March 6, 2016

Murray Wins Five-Set Epic to Send Great Britain Through

Andy MurrayBIRMINGHAM, GREAT BRITAIN: Andy Murray sealed a third successive Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal and a 150th tie win for Great Britain as the world No. 2 staved off a comeback from Japan’s Kei Nishikori in a five-set thriler to clinch victory for the hosts.
Murray showed his trademark fight and determination to overcome Nishikori 75 76(6) 36 46 63 in a tense match lasting four hours and 54 minutes. It further extends his unbeaten streak in Davis Cup singles and doubles rubbers to 14.
Taking on world No. 6 Nishikori was, by ranking, Murray’s toughest test yet in Davis Cup as this was the first time he had taken on a top-10 player. Although Nishikori was on an 11-match singles win streak himself in the competition, Murray did have the psychological advantage of a 5-1 head-to-head record against the Japanese.
After being distracted by a balloon popping amongst the crowd at the Barclaycard Arena, Murray had to save a break point in a tense opening game before then claiming the break himself for 3-1 with a deep backhand return which forced the error from Nishikori.
Murray started to show signs of frustration as Nishikori reeled off three games in a row to level at 44. But Murray dug deep in the face of repeated clean ball striking from his opponent and broke for the opening set on his third set point as Nishikori dumped a forehand into the net at the end of a lengthy rally.
Nishikori looked despondent as he walked off court for a toilet break but produced the perfect response upon his return as he immediately broke in the first game of the second set. Murray broke back for 2-2 with a stunning backhand winner down the line and a tight set ensued as it went to the tiebreak.
Murray looked good for a two-set lead as he raced to a 4-0 lead but Nishikori fought back and moved 5-4 ahead with two serves for the set. Murray saved one set point with an ace out wide and then took the set himself thanks to some terrific defence which saw Nishikori net with a backhand.
Nishikori gave some hope to the Japanese fans of a comeback, though, in a quickfire 33-minute third set as he broke for 5-3 and then sealed the set with a stretch backhand winner which flew past an incoming Murray. It was only the third set in 15 that Nishikori had won against Murray in his career.
He did not have to wait too long for another either. Murray failed to take two break points in the early stages of the fourth set and Nishikori made him pay with the double break for 5-2. He could not serve out the set at the first time of asking but made no mistake the second time, taking the match to a deciding set with Murray looking fatigued.
Murray had only once in his career lost in the 134 times he had been two sets up in a best-of-five set match – at the age of 18 against David Nalbandian at Wimbledon in 2005 – but the British support were understandably quiet as Nishikori broke in the opening game of the fifth set with a forehand drive volley.
But despite lumbering around the court in between points, Murray often somehow finds a way and he fought back despite struggling on serve as Nishikori also found it difficult to hold with a total of five breaks in the first six games of the set, the last crucially being claimed by Murray as he hit a forehand winner to go 42 ahead and then held to move to within one game of victory.
Murray failed to convert two match points on the Nishikori serve but he then served out the victory to maintain his record of having never lost a Davis Cup singles match on a hard court (13-0).

Source: DavisCup.com

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