Semi-Final - Great Britain v Argentina: Day 1

:00:33. > :00:41.Good afternoon. Davis Cup fever hits Glasgow again as Britain are here to

:00:42. > :00:46.take on Argentina in the semi-finals. We are delighted to be

:00:47. > :00:49.back at this magnificent stadium. It is the Emirates Arena, where they

:00:50. > :00:53.provide such a wonderful atmosphere. First up, it is the match everyone

:00:54. > :00:57.has been talking about, following their epic bat until the Olympic

:00:58. > :01:01.final, it is Andy Murray up against the man making the comeback, it is

:01:02. > :01:09.Juan Martin del Potro. That is the first match on court today.

:01:10. > :01:14.Well, the players are in the tunnel. Everyone is expecting this match to

:01:15. > :01:18.be played on Sunday, but as Juan Martin del Potro continues his

:01:19. > :01:23.comeback from injury, his ranking is lower than his true ability. These

:01:24. > :01:26.are two Grand Slam winners going head-to-head. The result of this

:01:27. > :01:32.match will definitely affect the tone and the mood of this tie. So,

:01:33. > :01:38.everyone getting ready. We are ready for Murray against del Potro. And

:01:39. > :01:41.the Argentine crowd have a feel what this crowd will be like with the

:01:42. > :01:54.Opening Ceremony. THE COMMENTATOR: From the coast of

:01:55. > :02:15.Scotland... They are just introduced the ball

:02:16. > :02:19.boys and girls. Here the come the players.

:02:20. > :02:28.THE COMMENTATOR: Please welcome, accompanied by his captain,

:02:29. > :02:29.representing Argentina, Juan Martin del Potro...

:02:30. > :03:00.APPLAUSE Accompanied by his captain, Leon

:03:01. > :03:16.Smith, representing Great Britain, please welcome Andy Murray.

:03:17. > :03:36.Emotions will be heightened for Andy following the death last week of his

:03:37. > :03:40.grandfather, the father of his dad. The funeral is being held today and

:03:41. > :03:45.Andy cut his media commitment short yesterday to attend a family

:03:46. > :03:49.gathering. It is a difficult time for Andy and the Murray family.

:03:50. > :03:54.Today he can rely on this patriotic crowd to lift him as they have so

:03:55. > :03:58.much in the past. He has enjoyed so much success on this court before.

:03:59. > :03:59.He arrives here in Glasgow following one magnificent performance after

:04:00. > :05:01.another in 2016. It has been a memorable year for

:05:02. > :05:06.Andy. Individual success at women telldon and winning Olympic gold.

:05:07. > :05:10.For him it is about the team. His best moment was carrying the flag in

:05:11. > :05:13.the Opening Ceremony in Rio. Here he wants to lift his team to greater

:05:14. > :05:18.success. He is Britain's number one. As we have a look at the two teams,

:05:19. > :05:23.it actually has been difficult for the captains to select who will be

:05:24. > :05:30.their singles Players. On the left it is Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund.

:05:31. > :05:37.He is ranks a little behind Daniel Evans. Kyle Edmund is the second

:05:38. > :05:41.person chosen today. Difficult for the Argentine captain because he

:05:42. > :05:47.knew he wanted Juan Martin del Potro to play number one. Who would he get

:05:48. > :05:51.to play number two? He has gone for Guido Pella. Difficult time for both

:05:52. > :05:53.captains. So, this is what we can look forward to over the next three

:05:54. > :06:08.days. The singles players up today: Who the Argentines will play we are

:06:09. > :06:11.not sure whether Delbonis and Mayer. The two remaining singles matches,

:06:12. > :06:16.if needed, will be played on Sunday. It has been difficult for the

:06:17. > :06:19.players. Let's hear from Leon Smith. First up is Murray against Juan

:06:20. > :06:23.Martin del Potro. Here are his thoughts on the match ahead.

:06:24. > :06:31.Juan Martin del Potro's ranking, from what he's gone through over the

:06:32. > :06:34.last two or three years. It is a brutality tough match for both

:06:35. > :06:39.players to start a weekend. It is what the fans will enjoy on Friday.

:06:40. > :06:43.The media will get a huge amount of attention. Having sat through what

:06:44. > :06:48.was a block-buster of a match in Rio and witnessed the level of tennis,

:06:49. > :06:52.you know, everyone will be in for a great few hours of tennis. So, it

:06:53. > :06:58.will be a repeat of the Rio final. Because of the injuries that del

:06:59. > :07:04.Potro has had, his wrist injury, this is his first Davis Cup singles

:07:05. > :07:08.since 2012. He's been getting better over the last few movepts and that

:07:09. > :07:10.showed in the four -- months and that showed in the four-hour battle

:07:11. > :07:15.they had in Rio. Andy Murray, a double Olympic gold

:07:16. > :07:29.medallist. I was open about how tough the

:07:30. > :07:33.match, for a number of reasons. Playing for your country makes it

:07:34. > :07:38.hard. The way the match was won. The ups and the downs and the length of

:07:39. > :07:42.it physically was very demanding. At the end of the match both of us were

:07:43. > :07:46.exhausted. That showed in both of our reactions when we finished. You

:07:47. > :07:54.know, playing a match like that, yes, you know, I respected him

:07:55. > :08:00.before. I respect him afterwards. It was amazing. A great final

:08:01. > :08:06.against Andy. I was so tired, exhausted after all the matches

:08:07. > :08:10.during the week, but he deserved... All the matches against him are

:08:11. > :08:17.tough and very, very close matches. But I think the fans, the crowd will

:08:18. > :08:22.enjoy our match between him and me. Hopefully I can do better than Rio.

:08:23. > :08:26.Obviously we had a pretty epic match at the Olympics. I hope it's not as

:08:27. > :08:33.tough as that one, physically and mentally. It was a draining match.

:08:34. > :08:38.Four hours long. Such a wonderful match out in Rio.

:08:39. > :08:42.Emotions were really high in that match on both sides of the court. It

:08:43. > :08:47.will be out here again, Juan Martin del Potro, such a dangerous player.

:08:48. > :08:53.Proved that in winning the US Open back in 2009. He's a big hitter. He

:08:54. > :08:57.can worry Murray today. Murray will need to serve well. A lot will

:08:58. > :09:00.depend on the atmosphere and how the crowd can lift him. All them from

:09:01. > :09:06.Stirling University, they have done it before, can they do it again?

:09:07. > :09:10.Let's go court-side and soak in more of the atmosphere.

:09:11. > :09:14.When I spoke to Leon Smith yesterday, he said the first time

:09:15. > :09:19.his team walked into this arena against the USA last year, it really

:09:20. > :09:23.hit them how much noise this stadium can create. Let me tell you this

:09:24. > :09:26.morning and this afternoon, whenvy been in here, this has eclipsed

:09:27. > :09:29.anything that happened last year. What is interesting is the

:09:30. > :09:34.Argentineans have brought a lot of support. When I walked in they were

:09:35. > :09:38.in full voice. It will be a big factor the crowd today. The point

:09:39. > :09:41.that Leon was making, this crowd absolutely love to see Andy Murray

:09:42. > :09:44.playing. They love to see the British team. The final thing is I

:09:45. > :09:50.have to say, this will be a great match. Juan Martin del Potro, it is

:09:51. > :09:53.fantastic to see him on the court. He's at the top of his game again,

:09:54. > :09:58.or getting close to. This will be a great match.

:09:59. > :10:03.Cue the crowd, they start singing. That will be the theme over the next

:10:04. > :10:08.three days here as they try and lift the British crowd once again. We are

:10:09. > :10:13.all ready for this first match in the semi-final. The other is being

:10:14. > :10:16.played in Croatia, as Croatia take on France. We will keep you

:10:17. > :10:20.up-to-date on. That let's enjoy the singing. When they finish singing it

:10:21. > :10:41.we will be taken through the match. Good afternoon. As you can hear it

:10:42. > :10:45.feels like Friday night here in the Emirates Arena. It is just after 1pm

:10:46. > :10:52.on a lunch time in September. I suppose that means the younger

:10:53. > :10:57.tennis fans are at school, or heading off to university. A

:10:58. > :11:00.sizeable percentage of who are watching on BBC television, are of

:11:01. > :11:06.an age that you can recall those dark days which are not that long

:11:07. > :11:12.ago of losing to the tennis powerhouses like Lithuania and

:11:13. > :11:20.Ecuador. Let's not get too blase about this.

:11:21. > :11:24.Two steps away from retaining the trophy for the first time in 80

:11:25. > :11:31.years. Most of that is down to that man - and down to his mum as well.

:11:32. > :11:35.Andy Murray has been a powerhouse. Arguably our greatest modern

:11:36. > :11:39.sportsman of all and some would say our greatest sportsman of all time.

:11:40. > :11:42.The next big match in his extraordinary career, what a match

:11:43. > :11:46.it promises to be. John Lloyd alongside me here in the

:11:47. > :11:56.commentary box. Every Davis box tie, I mean we had the Red Hot Chilli

:11:57. > :12:02.Pipers, who were playing rifts from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, all that

:12:03. > :12:08.stuff, the des bell count goes up a notch. You are right. There is

:12:09. > :12:11.nothing like it for a tennis player. Perhaps the Olympics, you know, that

:12:12. > :12:15.was right up there, as we saw in Rio. Other than that, you just don't

:12:16. > :12:20.get this atmosphere at other tournaments in the world. The Davis

:12:21. > :12:23.Cup is so special. And in Scotland, the fans here have taken it to

:12:24. > :12:28.another level. I have never heard anything like it in all my years in

:12:29. > :12:32.Davis Cup. It is a Jo I to be here and for the pla Iers, they must walk

:12:33. > :12:38.out and be an extra foot taller when they hear this noise. Even though

:12:39. > :12:44.Argentina have a sizeable amount of people here they will be drowned

:12:45. > :12:48.out. This crowd is amazing. Sportsman like, but ferocious. Our

:12:49. > :12:56.team may need it here. The atmosphere is incredible. This game,

:12:57. > :12:59.however long it takes, we will talk about the crowd because they will be

:13:00. > :13:02.the extra player in the Great Britain team. From the match point

:13:03. > :13:08.of view, from the tennis point of view, how key do you think this game

:13:09. > :13:15.is between Murray and del Potro in probably determining the outcome of

:13:16. > :13:19.the tie? It is huge. When you have someone like Andy Murray who doesn't

:13:20. > :13:24.lose in Davis Cup, in singles. He's lost two matches, you expect to win.

:13:25. > :13:28.You cannot help that. So Kyle Edmund, as much as he's a young

:13:29. > :13:32.professional, he will expect to be one serve row up at the end of this

:13:33. > :13:38.match. You feel that Andy will win. If Andy were to lose this match, the

:13:39. > :13:43.whole thing, the whole tie changes. It is the rest of the match, it is

:13:44. > :13:47.what Kyle Edmund will be feeling, what the number two player will be

:13:48. > :13:50.feeling. The whole thing changes. Once again, as usual, the pressure

:13:51. > :13:54.is all on Andy Murray. Both these guys lost in the quarter

:13:55. > :13:59.finals in the US Open, but in very different circumstances. And there

:14:00. > :14:04.has been a lot of conjek ter about how tired Andy Murray might be after

:14:05. > :14:08.the events of the entire year, never mind the Olympics and building up to

:14:09. > :14:11.the US Open when he obviously lost, when it seemed the game was on the

:14:12. > :14:16.end of his racket. If you had a fear about this game, would that be it?

:14:17. > :14:20.That would be it. Purely fatigue. If it goes to the latter stage of the

:14:21. > :14:27.match, then I would be a little bit worried. That is the prize, a Davis

:14:28. > :14:31.Cup final against either Croatia or France, and so much resting on the

:14:32. > :14:33.shoulders yet again of the world number two and the British number

:14:34. > :14:53.one. Thank you, Sir. Sit down, please.

:14:54. > :14:57.Security steward being asked to sit down. The first intervention by the

:14:58. > :15:01.crowd. Andy would certainly take that for

:15:02. > :15:58.starters. Just two points and a full

:15:59. > :16:00.repertoire already. A drop shot, a sensational lob. A great forehand

:16:01. > :17:29.winner. Solid, canny play from the Argentine

:17:30. > :17:33.there. With the forehand, that last shot

:17:34. > :17:38.from del Potro that got the error from Murray. That is one of the most

:17:39. > :17:43.fathersome shots in the game. It was when he was at his best. It is

:17:44. > :17:45.coming back towards that way. It is such a great shot. So technically

:17:46. > :19:51.sound. Del Potro thought about coming in

:19:52. > :19:56.there. Decided against it. Suddenly, after playing two brilliant opening

:19:57. > :19:58.points to take a 30-0 lead, here is the first break point of the match

:19:59. > :20:18.and it's in the very first game. A fathersome serve.

:20:19. > :20:20.-- a fearsome serve. He's a great player. He knows that serve can get

:20:21. > :21:11.him out of trouble so many times. Two great players, playing great

:21:12. > :21:19.tennis. Murray got the luck of the draw there. This game's well over

:21:20. > :21:22.six minutes long already. We could be in for a long afternoon and

:21:23. > :22:21.potentially a very long evening. That forehand - he can hit winners

:22:22. > :22:27.from anywhere on the court. You have to touch it well. You see the wind

:22:28. > :22:31.up there. There's so much pace that comes off that. It's difficult to

:22:32. > :22:49.predict where he's going to hit it. A marvellous shot.

:22:50. > :22:56.Well, you saw the young guns looking at the master there and the great

:22:57. > :23:01.thing about the noise, of course, when it is noisy like that, it is

:23:02. > :23:07.almost overwhelming, but then, when it goes quiet, you can actually feel

:23:08. > :23:37.the tension, because the contrast is just so vast.

:23:38. > :23:48.That is absolutely brilliant. First blood to Murray. Nearly nine minutes

:23:49. > :23:55.of an extraordinary opening game. It is exhausting already. Played one

:23:56. > :24:01.game... A half-volley, backhand lob. How easy is that? Del Potro moves

:24:02. > :24:05.extremely well for a big man and the lob has to be absolutely perfect to

:24:06. > :24:13.get over his head. Twice in the first game he did so. You can just

:24:14. > :24:17.see the danger signals from del Potro, the way he's very patient. He

:24:18. > :24:25.slices his backhand a lot more than he used to since the injury.

:24:26. > :24:29.He's not so confident with the two-hander, but that sliced backhand

:24:30. > :24:34.is a very good shot. It is something he didn't used to play that much.

:24:35. > :24:39.The forehand is just awesome and the first serve coming up as well. Del

:24:40. > :24:45.Potro has another one of his big weapons. Well, this is shaping up to

:24:46. > :24:48.be early days yet, obviously, but if it carries on like that first game,

:24:49. > :26:14.then, well, we are in for a treat. Well, there we have it.

:26:15. > :26:19.Masterful. So good.

:26:20. > :26:26.You can see already the way these rallies are developing that Murray

:26:27. > :26:30.knows that if he keeps going to the del Potro backhand, del Potro

:26:31. > :26:35.doesn't hit any winners of that side. 90% he hits the slice. Murray

:26:36. > :26:39.knows he will always be in the rally when he goes that side. He has to

:26:40. > :26:46.pick the right time to go to the opening on the right-hand side.

:26:47. > :26:51.There's so much of del Potro's style now has been determined by four

:26:52. > :26:53.wrist operations that he's had. We will talk more about that at the

:26:54. > :27:18.change of ends. Three break points for Andy Murray

:27:19. > :27:41.and Great Britain. Good strength there, but again that

:27:42. > :27:47.big first serve and Murray gets it back deep and then the rally starts

:27:48. > :27:52.all over again. It is so frustrating for del Potro not getting any cheap

:27:53. > :28:09.points. So far, every one he has to work for.

:28:10. > :28:19.Well, that was some forehand. It was some depth from Murray to get the

:28:20. > :28:22.serve back in the first place. We should talk about the court as well

:28:23. > :28:26.because Leon Smith we talked to before play began this morning,

:28:27. > :28:30.apparently the last time the Davis Cup was staged here the court speed

:28:31. > :28:35.on the sort of speedometer was graded at 35. Today it is at 40. So

:28:36. > :28:41.it is a much quicker surface than it was for the last time. What that

:28:42. > :28:55.means from a balance of power situation.

:28:56. > :29:08.Well worked. And first blood to Murray.

:29:09. > :29:11.The an engrossing quarter of an hour. Talk about the speed on the

:29:12. > :29:16.court. Who does that benefit? I don't think it is much of a benefit

:29:17. > :29:21.to either. I don't think it favours one or the other in that aspect. I

:29:22. > :29:25.don't think it is a lot faster. I think both players are comfortable

:29:26. > :29:29.on a faster court. You can see with del Potro and certainly Andy Murray,

:29:30. > :29:32.it is faster, but you can see already that it is still difficult

:29:33. > :30:06.to get the ball past Murray. If anything with the speed of the

:30:07. > :30:13.court, if anything it may favour Kyle Edmund in the second match. His

:30:14. > :30:15.opponent is a clay court player. He has more pace in his armoury and it

:30:16. > :30:39.may help him a little bit. Here is a question. If you were

:30:40. > :30:43.William Smith, given the Hauritz by Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans at the US

:30:44. > :30:45.Open, who would you pick for the second singles? Kyle Edmund,

:30:46. > :31:32.absolutely. 133 mph, he posted his fastest ever

:31:33. > :31:35.served at the US Open a couple of weeks ago. Which I think was 141.

:31:36. > :32:32.Shifting. Great Britain is challenging the

:32:33. > :32:45.call. The call was out. Hawk-Eye in action for the first

:32:46. > :33:24.time. Second serve. Del Potro had a break point' in the

:33:25. > :33:30.first game and didn't take it but here he has the chance to break back

:33:31. > :33:34.after Marie's so that each of the Argentine's first service game. --

:33:35. > :33:55.Murray. That served to the rescue again.

:33:56. > :34:01.Total confidence on the first serve. He saw the serve was going to make

:34:02. > :34:04.Del Potro lunge and he took three quick steps to get in with the

:34:05. > :34:24.handling. -- forehand volley. He is going to need that serve again

:34:25. > :35:11.now. Argentina is challenging the call on

:35:12. > :35:17.the left baseline. Brave call from Del Potro to stop the rally, he

:35:18. > :35:28.reckons he has broken back. Marie is already sitting down so presumably

:35:29. > :35:38.he thinks it is out. -- Murray. Fine margins but a break back for

:35:39. > :35:42.Argentina. This man is a great player, a lot of you might not have

:35:43. > :35:50.seen him on free to air television, since the US Open seven years ago he

:35:51. > :35:55.has been bedevilled by rest of Britain -- wrist injuries. There

:35:56. > :36:00.were times he thought there were no prospects of getting back to the top

:36:01. > :36:06.but fascinating articles morning, with the surgeon who did all the

:36:07. > :36:09.operations. He had to change the way he took the racket back because that

:36:10. > :36:15.is what was putting pressure on the rest. How difficult is it when you

:36:16. > :36:20.are a top ten player to change the way you play? It is huge. He used to

:36:21. > :36:25.have a very strong two-handed backhand. Already we have seen this

:36:26. > :36:31.is where he is reverting now, the slides. That shot he hardly used

:36:32. > :36:36.when he was at his best. His two-handed backhand was the weapon.

:36:37. > :36:41.But the left hand, that is the one that does the work on the two-handed

:36:42. > :36:47.backhand, had three surgeries. At the moment it is just a guiding shot

:36:48. > :36:51.with two hands. We have not seen him put the exonerate on and on that

:36:52. > :36:57.side. And even with that he is still showing glimpses. But there is not

:36:58. > :37:02.the pace he used to have. If he gets that back watch out. He was to save

:37:03. > :37:09.the big four might not become the big five, and even he might not one

:37:10. > :37:15.of those out and become even the one, we could be talking about him

:37:16. > :37:20.instead of Djokovic. That is the hand fate dealt him. But he is on

:37:21. > :37:24.the way back. You can see from the first 22 minutes here in Glasgow he

:37:25. > :37:47.is a considerable opponent for Andy Murray here this afternoon.

:37:48. > :38:00.That is just a superb change of pace there from Murray and the inside out

:38:01. > :38:03.spin was so good. Today you will see Murray head backhand down the line

:38:04. > :38:08.at times to open up beforehand when the time is right. And he will have

:38:09. > :38:15.to use that shot to get Del Potro out of guarding that backhand.

:38:16. > :38:29.Great Britain challenging the call on the left.

:38:30. > :39:30.GROANS FROM CROWD He had worked it out perfectly until

:39:31. > :39:35.the last moment. This is real cat and mouse stuff. Not as much

:39:36. > :39:43.disguise on that drop shot from Murray, trying to hit its nice and

:39:44. > :39:47.early. It will be interesting to see if Murray comes in a little bit more

:39:48. > :39:52.today on the Del Potro backhand. That is when Del Potro will have to

:39:53. > :39:54.come over the ball to hit a passing shot. We may see a little bit more

:39:55. > :40:12.of that as well in this matter. He is six foot six and he has big

:40:13. > :41:52.levers at the net. A big serve to square things up. We

:41:53. > :41:58.have played not far short of half an hour, and it was four hours of that

:41:59. > :42:02.breathtaking match in Rio which ended up with those two grown men

:42:03. > :42:39.emotionally and physically in every way exhausted at the net.

:42:40. > :43:34.Pascal Maria is the chair umpire today.

:43:35. > :43:44.Good tennis. Big forehands again from Del Potro. On any type of

:43:45. > :43:49.opening on that side he looks to open up the court. Very good sliced

:43:50. > :43:58.backhand approach with a lot of light on it. Tough for Murray to get

:43:59. > :44:03.over that ball with any pace. And the Argentine bench, if we can call

:44:04. > :44:05.them that, exhorting the 300 or 400 Argentine fans had to give it

:44:06. > :44:11.everything went Del Potro wins a point. They got 400 here against

:44:12. > :44:44.8000 stop they have to make themselves heard.

:44:45. > :45:11.The thing about all great sportsman, what ever their discipline they make

:45:12. > :45:44.it look easy. Every point at the moment feels like

:45:45. > :45:59.it is really important. And it is only the first set. They are still

:46:00. > :46:17.sparring. With every punch almost feels like it is a knockout blow.

:46:18. > :46:23.You see the difference in pace on the passing shot from Del Potro. He

:46:24. > :46:30.has not been hitting it that hard in the rallies but he knew there was a

:46:31. > :46:33.target Anne-Marie had to go for the big shot. He hasn't been doing in

:46:34. > :47:04.the rally so far, hitting two hard once in a row, Del Potro.

:47:05. > :47:15.This is tight. What you said in the first set about the sparring. Del

:47:16. > :47:18.Potro has had a busy summer as well, when you are both tired, you lose

:47:19. > :47:25.the first set and psychologically that is a real downer. In a normal

:47:26. > :47:28.match but when you are exhausted, you get that first set under your

:47:29. > :47:54.belt it makes a difference. Mentally.

:47:55. > :47:59.That was great footwork from Murray. In the background Leon Smith saying

:48:00. > :48:49.it was well worked out, great point. And again. Carbon copy of four weeks

:48:50. > :48:54.earlier, Murray edges ahead. -- nudges. John Conner you have done

:48:55. > :49:00.it, in your distinguished CV, you have been captain of the Davis Cup

:49:01. > :49:04.team. The old joke about what the editor of a live sporting event is,

:49:05. > :49:08.does he just say well done at the end of it because by the very

:49:09. > :49:13.natured the game just happens in front of you. What does the Davis

:49:14. > :49:22.Cup captain actually do, what can Leon Smith actually say? It honestly

:49:23. > :49:27.depends on your relationship. And the idea not think he likes to have

:49:28. > :49:33.too much said to him during these games but just of little things. It

:49:34. > :49:38.depends on the player, younger players with less experience, that

:49:39. > :49:41.is when you have two savings they are starting to do and maybe they

:49:42. > :49:45.get nervous at times and that is when you can hopefully calm them

:49:46. > :49:49.down and tell them what they are doing. But with somebody like Andy

:49:50. > :49:53.Murray who knows how to change plans if things are not going right, it is

:49:54. > :50:00.more encouragement really. Keeping you on the right track. This is more

:50:01. > :50:04.of an encouragement. Andy knows what he's doing and he knows his plan. He

:50:05. > :50:10.has given him some instructions there for something other but they

:50:11. > :50:13.have a good bond together. They have been together for many years and

:50:14. > :50:26.that is a big advantage, no doubt about it. One racket has gone to be

:50:27. > :50:30.very strong and ready. Funny how perhaps with the heat of the crowd,

:50:31. > :50:36.creating a different type of, you might wonder strings a little bit

:50:37. > :50:39.tighter, perhaps. It is amazing how that can happen this early on the

:50:40. > :50:43.sometimes you just get that feel and you need to get something done with

:50:44. > :51:57.the string tension. Amazingly it is only 3-2.

:51:58. > :52:13.That is great tennis from Del Potro. This is a very good sliced, a lot of

:52:14. > :52:18.bite on that ball. It didn't come up at all. He had two options and

:52:19. > :52:37.wrong-footed Murray. So simple, that forehand. Just about

:52:38. > :52:51.the most straightforward game of the six we have had so far. The thought

:52:52. > :53:00.is most definitely on simmer. You have got to feel this could be

:53:01. > :53:34.anything contest. This could take us into the time and well beyond.

:53:35. > :54:00.The winners and errors category so far. Murray has hit nine unforced

:54:01. > :54:03.errors, Del Potro only three. I would have thought it would have

:54:04. > :54:05.been the opposite way, less errors for Murray and more winners for Del

:54:06. > :54:32.Potro. He is playing well now. The most

:54:33. > :54:38.impressive two-handed backhand we have seen from him today. He leaned

:54:39. > :54:45.into that one. You can see the way he stepped into that one. Created

:54:46. > :54:52.the opening for the body. -- volley. He moves well for a big man. Nice

:54:53. > :55:13.and low, I is level with the ball on that volley. Excellent technique.

:55:14. > :55:25.I think this is an optimistic challenge from Del Potro. Great

:55:26. > :55:51.serve from Murray. Only 130 mph. Only! But the angle was unplayable.

:55:52. > :56:00.Another of those unforced errors we were talking about. It didn't set up

:56:01. > :56:06.for him that well. I like that shot down the line. To get the photo out

:56:07. > :56:10.of the backhand corner of the act on the vivid fast, he lives to the

:56:11. > :56:15.off-balance a little bit. He rushed that shot. Del Potro putting him

:56:16. > :57:05.under a lot of pressure Two first serves in makes all the

:57:06. > :57:18.difference. The depth on that backhand as well.

:57:19. > :58:08.That is Leon Smith right next door to the umpire's microphone.

:58:09. > :58:14.Vamos, says Del Potro. And he is putting so much pressure on Murray.

:58:15. > :58:35.Sixth break point of the match far. And even at this early stage you

:58:36. > :58:36.feel that this actually could be the key moment in this match. Maybe in

:58:37. > :59:10.this tie. Maybe it will be. Second break of

:59:11. > :59:18.serve for Juan Martin Del Potro. And this means he just has too holders

:59:19. > :59:23.serve a couple of times and it will be first set to Argentina and who

:59:24. > :59:30.knows how key that might be. Andy Murray talking to the bench, not

:59:31. > :59:34.sure about the racket tension. He is obviously not happy at the moment.

:59:35. > :59:40.Down a break why would he be but there is something, it could be the

:59:41. > :59:45.racket tension. Maybe needs to go up a little bit intention perhaps. It

:59:46. > :59:50.is a fine match so far, from both as, the quality has been amazing.

:59:51. > :59:55.Del Potro hitting three unforced errors so far after seven games with

:59:56. > :00:00.Murray coming at you shot after shot. He is just not making an

:00:01. > :00:04.error. That backhand side, not hitting many winners on that site

:00:05. > :00:08.but just not making errors and then the forehand is just opening up the

:00:09. > :00:14.Court and Murray is having to defend so well as well. Too many errors

:00:15. > :00:19.from Murray and he would like, up to 11, four times almost as many as Del

:00:20. > :00:24.Potro. He has to cut that down a little bit. But a quality match. The

:00:25. > :00:29.Argentine has got to start making errors, he cannot continue at this

:00:30. > :00:31.quality like this, not if they go for five sets, it is impossible, one

:00:32. > :00:39.would think. If you are having an idle thought

:00:40. > :00:47.about how long this match my go, the longest all-time Davis Cup single

:00:48. > :00:57.featured a player on the Argentine bench today, Leonardo Mayer in

:00:58. > :01:01.Brazil last year. A match that took six hours and 42 minutes! If we are

:01:02. > :01:05.going to beat that, we will still be on court at eight o'clock and Kyle

:01:06. > :02:15.Edmond will be thinking, when on earth am I going to get on?

:02:16. > :02:23.When is he going to miss a backhand? I know he isn't hitting that sliced

:02:24. > :02:31.backhand that hard... He's guiding it, a little bit of spin, nice and

:02:32. > :02:37.deep. That had to be the longest rally, who blinked first? It was

:02:38. > :02:45.Andy. And when you are watching that you have to remember to breathe. You

:02:46. > :02:46.can fill eight and half thousand people exhaling at the end of that

:02:47. > :03:13.round. -- field. Have a guess how many shots the

:03:14. > :03:18.previous rally was? A lot. 44. In case you're getting really worried

:03:19. > :03:25.about your Friday night being kibosh to buy this match going on forever,

:03:26. > :03:27.as a result of that match last year with Leonardo Mayer, it went to a

:03:28. > :03:41.tie-break. The way del Potro is playing,

:03:42. > :03:51.doesn't anticipate being here for four hours.

:03:52. > :04:02.A second ace at 130 miles an hour, that was.

:04:03. > :04:12.That was a very straightforward hold for the Argentines. And so, Andy

:04:13. > :04:17.Murray will have to do serve to stay in this opening set, having won the

:04:18. > :04:39.first two games and having got off to a flyer.

:04:40. > :04:46.And be in no doubt about what the big event this is the Argentinians

:04:47. > :04:49.bought. More than 50 accredited journalists here from Argentina for

:04:50. > :04:59.this. The interest generated by the

:05:00. > :05:33.possibility of Argentina getting to a first final is absolutely huge.

:05:34. > :05:47.That is his first backhand winner today. He picked the toughest shot

:05:48. > :05:52.to hit it at. The timing of that... The timing of that was perfect. The

:05:53. > :05:55.first winner he has hit on that side. I think Murray was shocked, he

:05:56. > :07:10.didn't even move for that one. Murray could do with a few mod cheap

:07:11. > :07:31.points like that. There is the chairman of the All-England Club.

:07:32. > :07:43.Well played. If there were to be a final, let's not count our chickens

:07:44. > :07:49.here... If there were to be a final in this country, would you play it

:07:50. > :07:56.on Centre Court at Wimbledon under the roof? I don't think they would

:07:57. > :08:01.be able to at that late stage of the year. They have never yet played a

:08:02. > :08:04.final on the Centre Court at Wimbledon. I don't think all England

:08:05. > :08:09.would allow them to even if they wanted to, and I think it is too

:08:10. > :08:14.late in the year for the grass. I think they could have played the

:08:15. > :08:17.semifinals under the roof. It would be nice to have that option,

:08:18. > :08:26.wouldn't it? It sure would. Wright, crunch time

:08:27. > :08:32.now. How does Murray approach returning this serve? He just hasn't

:08:33. > :08:37.quite got the balance right. Played a few too many errors. Just pushing

:08:38. > :08:41.perhaps a little too much. I still like the plague, I know it's not

:08:42. > :08:45.really Murray's game to come in that much, but I like the play-off coming

:08:46. > :08:51.in on his backhand occasionally. His passing shot with the two hand, not

:08:52. > :08:56.that much pace on the ball. At the moment Murray is getting pulled into

:08:57. > :08:58.these long rallies with his backhand slice and then del Potro opens up

:08:59. > :09:01.with the moment Murray is getting pulled into these long rallies with

:09:02. > :09:04.his backhand slice and then del Potro opens up with the forehand.

:09:05. > :09:07.You have to come in a bit more and still use that one down the line to

:09:08. > :09:11.open up the del Potro forehand. Fascinating insight into nothing

:09:12. > :09:15.now. The Argentine captain you could see was about to say something half

:09:16. > :09:20.a dozen times to del Potro and then thought better of it. So the whole

:09:21. > :09:25.fabric, didn't say a word to him! Over to you.

:09:26. > :09:37.The handy Fanclub are in full voice. -- Andy Fanclub. Needs to break

:09:38. > :09:45.serve here or it is first blood to Argentina.

:09:46. > :10:26.No margin for error there. That was beautifully played by del Potro.

:10:27. > :10:32.A good change up there from del Potro. Serve and volley. Murray not

:10:33. > :11:17.expecting that. In that rally Murray had a shot on

:11:18. > :11:24.his backhand, he chipped and moved back to the baseline. Which then

:11:25. > :11:28.opened up a huge space and del Potro, in this form, does not miss

:11:29. > :11:30.opportunities like that. So here we are, after nearly an hour, three set

:11:31. > :11:51.points. Just one needed. The ball was called in. Murray knows

:11:52. > :11:52.it was in. But it's a minor irritant, just to delay the

:11:53. > :12:07.inevitable. So this was the great question last

:12:08. > :12:12.night, was Andy Murray tired after the US Open and that defeat to

:12:13. > :12:18.Nishikori? Or the emotional situation over the last few days

:12:19. > :12:21.after the death of his grandfather. We saw a shot Jamie Murray just

:12:22. > :12:31.that, who I think went to the funeral and has come back to support

:12:32. > :12:37.his brother. It's been a big year, carrying the Olympic flag, becoming

:12:38. > :12:40.a dad, everything in terms of physically and mentally, a draining

:12:41. > :12:44.six-month period. If things started to go badly today, what impact would

:12:45. > :12:48.it have? That is what we were saying tonight. That possibly is what we

:12:49. > :12:58.might be seeing here. What is your take on how Andy might respond to

:12:59. > :13:02.that? I haven't seen the Nishikori meltdown... He has got a little bit

:13:03. > :13:11.irritated but managed to hold it back. I think mentally so far he has

:13:12. > :13:14.managed to hold things in. I don't know if you can sense what the

:13:15. > :13:25.atmosphere is like down at courtside... You can see how excited

:13:26. > :13:31.the Argentine fans are and you can understand why. And the people at

:13:32. > :13:35.home who haven't seen much of del Potro over the last three or four

:13:36. > :13:39.years, it gives them a chance to see what a wonderful play years. Yes,

:13:40. > :13:46.Annie has an hit his backhand with full pelt yet. I don't know this

:13:47. > :13:50.wrist is 100% right. He has managed to manoeuvre his game around that

:13:51. > :13:54.and his backhand slice has become something very special. He doesn't

:13:55. > :14:30.miss. Only made four unforced errors in that whole set.

:14:31. > :14:37.Are we talking here about the captain encroaching onto the field

:14:38. > :14:39.of play, John? Didn't really hear that. Don't know if he was talking

:14:40. > :16:14.about the crowd... As a general rule at the moment, the

:16:15. > :17:52.long rallies are going the way of the Argentinians. Yes.

:17:53. > :18:00.Murray's sixth ace, assuming it was in. Del Potro seems reasonably

:18:01. > :18:05.confident it wasn't, although he is now rethinking and going to the

:18:06. > :18:13.other side of the court. Hawk-Eye delivers its verdict.

:18:14. > :18:17.And it is so important for Andy Murray to hold serve at the start of

:18:18. > :18:25.this second set. First big cry from the Scott --

:18:26. > :19:09.Scot. Ace number seven. It kind of got away with that one on

:19:10. > :19:14.the backhand side line, but well played in the end. Things were

:19:15. > :19:19.looking a little bit shaky, but Murray has righted the ship and won

:19:20. > :19:22.the first game of the second set. I had a coach at school a thousand

:19:23. > :19:26.years ago who always said the first game of the second set is one of the

:19:27. > :19:30.most important in any match, because if you lost it, you could almost see

:19:31. > :19:35.the finish line in the other guy's favour. But if you won it and said,

:19:36. > :19:41.I have got this one, let's get on with it. That is a pretty good rule

:19:42. > :19:45.of thought, apart from at this level. At this level I don't think

:19:46. > :19:50.it matters that much, they are good enough players and fighters it

:19:51. > :19:54.wouldn't make too much difference. But psychologically, del Potro with

:19:55. > :20:02.a break there would have been a very happy man. But Murray's serve got

:20:03. > :20:07.him out of trouble. If he hadn't won some big points on his serve he

:20:08. > :20:37.would be even even more trouble. Del Potro has been flawless so far.

:20:38. > :20:44.We don't see this shot very much in the men's game, in the women's game

:20:45. > :20:48.we see a lot of it, the drive forehand volley. He has used two

:20:49. > :20:53.foes in the match so far, del Potro, and been perfect both times. A huge

:20:54. > :21:06.screech from Murray a few moments ago at himself.

:21:07. > :21:15.Please, ladies and gentlemen, closed the gates please. Thank you.

:21:16. > :21:19.Got to stop worrying about this rule, it's so silly. Who cares if a

:21:20. > :21:28.few people are standing on the back of the stands? Come on!

:21:29. > :21:43.When it's coming down from six foot six, the angle is nigh on impossible

:21:44. > :22:04.when he hits it that well. Game Argentina. 1-1. Four aces to

:22:05. > :22:09.del Potro. Close the gate, please. Don't let the people in between the

:22:10. > :22:15.gates. Just keep them waiting outside for

:22:16. > :22:22.15 minutes! Lots of inexperienced stewards on duty, possibly. But the

:22:23. > :22:26.noise that Davis Cup tennis is played in, you would think a few

:22:27. > :22:31.people moving... Would not really make a great deal of difference.

:22:32. > :22:37.Players are used to people moving around in practice. And if you go to

:22:38. > :22:46.the French Open you have phones going off all the time.

:22:47. > :23:01.I think we've got to see more of this. Coming in on that backhand

:23:02. > :23:31.side. Challenging the call on the right

:23:32. > :23:35.side of the service line. The ball was called out.

:23:36. > :24:14.Might just be fractionally wide, this one, I think. Second serve.

:24:15. > :24:21.He hasn't missed many of those. Great Britain has two challenges

:24:22. > :25:53.remaining. Sometimes you need straightforward

:25:54. > :26:03.games just to settle you down a bit. This is Murray's 32nd Davis Cup

:26:04. > :26:10.singles. He has won 29 and last two. In the two he lost a Fabio Fognini

:26:11. > :26:15.of Italy in the extraordinary match and his first-ever singles match,

:26:16. > :26:24.when he played... Wawrinka? Yes. That was about -- a battle. This

:26:25. > :26:28.game, you suspect, is going to get very tense over the course of the

:26:29. > :26:33.next hour and a half or so. Yet this out of the way now, because I

:26:34. > :26:38.happened to look it up this morning. Andy Murray's Davis Cup debut was

:26:39. > :26:46.against Israel and he played in the doubles in 2005. Who did he play

:26:47. > :26:49.with? David Sherwood? It was. You are an egghead, officially. I think

:26:50. > :26:53.he started off on the first point with a return down the line winner

:26:54. > :26:57.or he crossed or something. I remember vaguely he walked on court

:26:58. > :27:01.and the first point needed something dramatic. It wasn't like feeling his

:27:02. > :27:07.way onto the court as a youngster, he just hit a winner with the first

:27:08. > :27:11.ball! A lot has happened in the intervening 11 years. Three Grand

:27:12. > :27:17.Slam titles, two of them big titles. The Davis Cup last year and Great

:27:18. > :27:26.Britain this year trying to retain the trophy for the first time in 80

:27:27. > :27:31.years. Since 1936. There is an awful lot of tennis to be played in this

:27:32. > :27:34.tie before we can even start thinking about that. Del Potro 2-1

:27:35. > :28:03.down. Murray looked like he moved a bit

:28:04. > :29:12.strangely after that forehand. Del Potro decided one of the balls

:29:13. > :29:23.wasn't good enough, so he hit it the umpire's Wade, who dropped it. --

:29:24. > :29:49.way. Happy enough with that ball, though.

:29:50. > :29:56.I was about to say to you halfway through that rally, Murray had a

:29:57. > :30:03.chance to go in and decided not to and then he did. I said that early

:30:04. > :30:06.on in the second set. I think this is a tactic he has to employ against

:30:07. > :30:11.him, especially of del Potro is going to try and chip that ball.

:30:12. > :30:16.Murray is too quick for that, you will have to come over the ball. As

:30:17. > :30:19.we have seen, not that much pace on the two handed backhand. I don't

:30:20. > :30:21.know why Murray isn't doing it more often. I know it's not his tactic,

:30:22. > :30:34.but you have to change it up. Just drifted wide. There was a

:30:35. > :30:47.glimmer at 30-30. And the urgent encouragement from

:30:48. > :31:12.Leon Smith. Frustration for Murray, because it

:31:13. > :31:56.was a big serve, but that ball was on his racket.

:31:57. > :32:16.Eventually he Thauvin rally. It is quite nervy. Playing against and

:32:17. > :32:23.opponent who is inspired right now but we are seeing more aggression.

:32:24. > :32:35.On not the great things about Murray is he has four or five game plans.

:32:36. > :32:37.The a game plan today is not working, so you had to change it and

:32:38. > :33:00.that is what he's doing. We all become body language experts

:33:01. > :33:02.watching Andy Murray potentially the last few points there seems to be a

:33:03. > :33:48.bit more urgency and energy. Had enough of that. He might not

:33:49. > :33:55.have done that at 30-30. He would have hoisted a lob back or

:33:56. > :34:00.something. Fabulous came from Murray. You can see times here way

:34:01. > :34:06.he looks exhausted. But the Davis Cup, that is the difference. If this

:34:07. > :34:11.was a normal tournament I think he would be in big trouble, physically

:34:12. > :34:16.he is wondering what he's doing but in these circumstances he hears the

:34:17. > :34:21.crowd and sees his team-mates and it is just a different thing from any

:34:22. > :34:25.other competition that the tennis players are involved with in the

:34:26. > :34:31.Davis Cup. Use squeeze out that extra bit of energy when you needed,

:34:32. > :34:34.that fight. And Murray, the match has barely started really and they

:34:35. > :34:38.have already had some of most exhausting rallies. They have barely

:34:39. > :34:44.started the second set, they cannot both keep this up, but for five

:34:45. > :34:54.hours, errors will start to creep in. They will have two. If you are

:34:55. > :35:00.just an occasional tennis watcher, thinking it is always like this, no.

:35:01. > :35:07.The Stirling University Barmy Army, key elements behind Andy their, of

:35:08. > :35:26.the entourage, they are in full voice. Yet again.

:35:27. > :35:35.And of course Murray serving first in the second set. He always has a

:35:36. > :35:57.chance to break and take what might in the decisive lead.

:35:58. > :36:05.Not sure what he was trying there. Looking at Leon Smith may be saying,

:36:06. > :36:08.I did come in, I presume they have been talking about that but I don't

:36:09. > :36:12.know what sort of approach shot that was, I suppose he was trying to hit

:36:13. > :36:16.it short enough where Del Potro would have two stretch but there was

:36:17. > :36:58.no bite on that ball and Del Potro just steered it down the line.

:36:59. > :37:05.Well, he came in again. He wasn't really committed to read again and

:37:06. > :37:10.he is drawn to Leon Smith, they probably talked about this tactic

:37:11. > :37:15.that he came in from here, he hesitated and then he made the move

:37:16. > :37:19.and by then he had too much court to cover. You see where he is hitting

:37:20. > :37:22.that volley, that should be another three feet further in, the tactic

:37:23. > :37:27.was right that he just came a split-second too late.

:37:28. > :37:51.Andy Murray was on his haunches then favouring his left knee.

:37:52. > :38:04.That was a bit lucky but fantastic racket head control there. Del Potro

:38:05. > :38:06.things he has hit a winner. OK it clipped the top of the net but it

:38:07. > :38:54.was a winner anyway. That is the other shot that I think

:38:55. > :38:59.he needs to hit more than really commit to that one down the line.

:39:00. > :39:03.That was more steering, not the explosion that we see when he turns

:39:04. > :39:06.the shoulder. Almost like he is not quite sure that is the tactic. He is

:39:07. > :39:49.sort of half doing it. Out. No call came from the line

:39:50. > :40:00.judge. That was Pascal Maria. That is the line next to him. If he has

:40:01. > :40:06.got this wrong... That is a brave over rule. But he was right. This

:40:07. > :40:13.was the stage in the first set where Del Potro broke Murray and obviously

:40:14. > :40:19.went on to take the first set. And it is one of the oldest cliches

:40:20. > :40:23.about the seventh game. The seventh game is important because it is kind

:40:24. > :40:29.of right in the heart of the set. This is a big moment. Andy Murray

:40:30. > :40:37.cannot afford to get broken at this stage. You would think, this is a

:40:38. > :40:44.long way back normally but in these circumstances and in the holistic

:40:45. > :40:58.round of where Andy Murray is this year. He has new balls.

:40:59. > :41:08.Late call. The ball was called out. A lot of infinitesimal calls being

:41:09. > :41:10.made, and initially the line judge said it was in and then she changed

:41:11. > :41:22.her mind. Relief sweeps round the Emirates

:41:23. > :42:34.Arena in Glasgow. That was an assertive let's go from

:42:35. > :42:46.Murray. Two positive first point, make that three.

:42:47. > :43:13.Excellent service came from Murray. The new balls with that extra bit of

:43:14. > :43:19.pace and snap. I think we will see an aggressive game on this return of

:43:20. > :43:23.serve. There is lots and lots you can do with the return of serve but

:43:24. > :43:31.Murray is becoming more aggressive now. I think he needs to. He has too

:43:32. > :43:45.tried to get Del Potro out of this pattern. He has to try doing

:43:46. > :43:50.something a little bit different. He has gone for a word with the

:43:51. > :43:55.sizeable back-up team, a big team effort. And again, let's not just

:43:56. > :44:00.sensing, let's see if there is any indication between captain and

:44:01. > :44:07.player. I tell you a story about that. The former took the job, I had

:44:08. > :44:12.a chat with John Fitzgerald of Australia and I asked him how he

:44:13. > :44:17.dealt with the superstars. Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewett. He said

:44:18. > :44:20.it was going pretty well with Pat Rafter Bledman was itching to get

:44:21. > :44:24.involved and I said something to him about his volleying and he said,

:44:25. > :44:31.it's all right, mate, let me deal with it. So he said OK, after that

:44:32. > :44:34.the realised it is best not to say too much unless they ask you. That

:44:35. > :45:33.is what the Argentinian captain is doing right now.

:45:34. > :45:39.So mad because that is one of his favourite shots. Did not really get

:45:40. > :45:46.hold of that one again. Missed by quite a way. Four shots earlier he

:45:47. > :46:31.timed 12 affection. Again looking over and again if you

:46:32. > :46:37.look at the approach shot he didn't do enough with it. Accelerated a

:46:38. > :46:45.little bit on the two-handed backhand. Watch this one. Nothing on

:46:46. > :46:46.that. Del Potro has enough time to set himself up, could have gone

:46:47. > :47:04.crosscourt. Huge balloon from the Stirling

:47:05. > :47:20.University Barmy Army, it has been taken into custody.

:47:21. > :47:35.Hawk-Eye being kept very busy in this match. You felt that was in all

:47:36. > :47:47.the while. Del Potro with three points to take a level again.

:47:48. > :48:00.Murray came in again. That was to the wrong side. Absolutely marooned

:48:01. > :48:05.at the net. That 1's not even out wide and it is too good shot to

:48:06. > :48:15.coming against unless you are a lot more decisive than that. Excellent

:48:16. > :48:20.service game. Is he coming in because he wants to shorten the

:48:21. > :48:26.rally? I think he wants to change up the pattern of the baseline rallies.

:48:27. > :48:28.He just hasn't approached very well, though. I still think it is the

:48:29. > :49:33.right thing to do. That is the difference with that

:49:34. > :49:34.approach shot. Hitting that one hard enough and wide enough that Del

:49:35. > :51:06.Potro can only hit the slice. He has not hit that shot well today

:51:07. > :51:14.and he looks to me like he is almost falling off that shot. He is not

:51:15. > :51:17.committing himself. He pulled himself that one, did instead

:51:18. > :51:40.through an extent like he normally does. Is that fatigue? It could be.

:51:41. > :52:45.That serve was rescuing him in some big positions.

:52:46. > :52:59.That is more like it. Full commitment on that shot. What a time

:53:00. > :53:03.to hit it. Del Potro almost aiding him on. Have you got it in you? And

:53:04. > :54:00.he did. That is well played by Del Potro.

:54:01. > :54:10.That is what she was doing in the first set. That forehand put so much

:54:11. > :54:14.pressure on Murray, he knows in these rallies if he hits anything in

:54:15. > :54:20.that area, if it is not deep enough to the baseline then Del Potro does

:54:21. > :54:44.this. He can do it to both sides. It is a ferocious shot.

:54:45. > :54:58.That racket is lucky to live because he thought about disintegrating it.

:54:59. > :55:06.As bad forehand went into the net. So, at 4-4 and is set to the good

:55:07. > :55:13.here is a break point. As the umpire asks the Argentine fans to sit down.

:55:14. > :55:29.This could be a big moment. That is why he is a champion. That

:55:30. > :56:04.is exactly why. Bold and brave. And clinical.

:56:05. > :56:12.From almost smashing his racket to fist pumping in 30 seconds for Andy

:56:13. > :56:58.Murray as he now has a point for the 5-4 lead.

:56:59. > :57:16.Got it! Not the best drop shot he has ever hit. But he's still out in

:57:17. > :57:22.front. These are nervy moments. We say it at every match that ebbs and

:57:23. > :57:26.flows like this but I can't remember the guy in Wales who invented the

:57:27. > :57:30.scoring system, but he was a genius. That game is a microcosm of the

:57:31. > :57:35.sport, you thought for a moment this could be it and now you're thinking,

:57:36. > :57:41.who knows? Absolutely. One point away from Del Potro serving for the

:57:42. > :57:44.second set. Obviously not a guarantee when you're playing

:57:45. > :57:51.against Murray 13 when it being in great shape to be up to Mac OS X,

:57:52. > :57:57.then serve and volley in the corner. Small margins, that is what great

:57:58. > :58:04.players do. They come up with these shots. Murray at times looked tired

:58:05. > :58:09.and it reminds me of the petrol tank when you think maybe you have 30

:58:10. > :58:12.miles left but it is still there and sometimes he looks like he is dead

:58:13. > :58:21.on his feet and the extra energy comes through again. The difference

:58:22. > :58:32.is your gauge on your Carl dashboard -- car dashboard says you have 30

:58:33. > :58:37.last ago but you know the vegetation is 33 miles away. But here you don't

:58:38. > :58:41.know where the service station is, how much petrol is in the tank at

:58:42. > :58:44.the moment got what it could be an hour, it could be three hours. Great

:58:45. > :58:49.atmosphere. That goes without saying in the Davis Cup, especially at home

:58:50. > :59:06.in recent years for Great Britain. But this is just fantastic.

:59:07. > :59:12.It is an amazing match. We are used to the sort of climax of these ties

:59:13. > :59:17.coming on the third day because the number ones play each other. Del

:59:18. > :59:21.Potro really is the number one, so you have the best match of probably

:59:22. > :59:23.coming right here in the first match. Set in the living up to that

:59:24. > :59:48.at the moment. That is too good. It really is. I

:59:49. > :59:49.thought he would pass with that forehand that he just stabs that

:59:50. > :00:35.over. Perfect feel. That is brilliant! What a shot! You

:00:36. > :00:40.with thinking, is he going down the line, crosscourt? Then he pulls out

:00:41. > :00:48.a masterstroke like this. Watch this, a great lob by del Potro. No

:00:49. > :00:54.chance! And with that one shot, Murray has

:00:55. > :01:09.lit the touch paper in this arena. He is two points from squaring

:01:10. > :01:57.things up. There was a big cry on that serve.

:01:58. > :02:05.The crowd thought it was out. The crowd called it out, and that's what

:02:06. > :02:09.Murray is standing there, going... I think he thought it was a line judge

:02:10. > :02:18.who called it out. He played the ball anyway. Of course, we were

:02:19. > :02:27.under by them. -- underway by then. I think Andy new who the culprit

:02:28. > :02:33.was. The umpire had a word with the member of the support team there.

:02:34. > :02:52.Anyway, either way, we are at 30-30. That is so good! He thought he was

:02:53. > :02:55.going to sneak in, decided not to, moved forwards and had to hit one

:02:56. > :03:29.heck of a volley to wrong-foot Murray.

:03:30. > :03:35.In the last five minutes they've just kind of turned the oven up a

:03:36. > :03:43.little bit. You can feel, literally, the heat.

:03:44. > :03:55.That's just another glimpse, for me, to show that del Potro, with the

:03:56. > :04:00.season getting towards the end, and he has time to work on that wrist to

:04:01. > :04:01.get it stronger in his mind, he's going to be a major threat next

:04:02. > :04:12.year. It was done with the best

:04:13. > :04:16.intentions, that cry of "Out" from the crowd, because it was a double

:04:17. > :04:22.fault to all intents and purposes, but it was in Alnwick 's Murray the

:04:23. > :05:01.point. Now we are at 5-5 and this is anybody's set.

:05:02. > :06:01.Well... He has hit far too many of those today's. Another one of those

:06:02. > :06:05.shots, we have seen it four or five times now, he goes to hit it and

:06:06. > :06:09.then his weight comes back off the back and when he hits it. Not

:06:10. > :06:13.leaning in and extending when he hits it well. To me, it's showing

:06:14. > :06:24.he's not that confident on that shot. Trying to steer it in, almost.

:06:25. > :06:33.You have to give him credit again for that serve. He's gone almost

:06:34. > :06:38.every time on the crucial point on the outside, he's gone out wide, his

:06:39. > :06:43.favourite serve, and there he senses del Potro leaning that way and hit

:06:44. > :06:48.it down the middle. Good change-up. 13 aces for Andy Murray and he has

:06:49. > :06:51.needed most of those to get himself out of a bit of bother and he could

:06:52. > :06:54.do with a couple more big serves now.

:06:55. > :08:06.That's magnificent! That's the Murray we know. And to portray --

:08:07. > :08:15.del Potro will have to serve to stay in the second set. Good stuff? Come

:08:16. > :08:21.on, it's really outstanding! Two the best players in the world. The

:08:22. > :08:27.quality is just magnificent, really. Del Potro in that game, 15-30,

:08:28. > :08:32.played so well to get there and then two aces come down. He did nothing

:08:33. > :08:41.wrong in that game, but Murray elevated his game when he needed to.

:08:42. > :08:45.Do you sense it might be this game, it might be the tie-break, do you

:08:46. > :08:52.send these next ten minutes also could be the match? Absolutely. I

:08:53. > :08:57.think to come back from two sets to love, with the odd strum article

:08:58. > :09:00.against Murray, with the circumstances leading into this

:09:01. > :09:06.match, if he wins this is that I have no doubt he is going to win

:09:07. > :09:12.this match. -- with the difficult circumstances. I like that kind of

:09:13. > :09:18.positive talk! But there's a lot of tennis to be played before we get to

:09:19. > :09:25.that situation. Del Potro has served five aces so far. And he's getting

:09:26. > :09:28.80% of his first serves in that. That is a pretty handy ratio.

:09:29. > :09:39.Remarkable. But it is different serving at 2-3

:09:40. > :10:03.down 5-6. Correct. Maybe it isn't! Even though he has

:10:04. > :10:07.been out of the game for a long while, you still think of del Potro

:10:08. > :10:13.and he is a big-time player. He has won Aslam. He has been there and

:10:14. > :10:22.done it. -- a Grand Slam. And when he did he beat Nadal and Federer in

:10:23. > :10:51.back-to-back matches. In their pomp. What a return!

:10:52. > :11:07.He missed it. That's the first relatively simple forehand that del

:11:08. > :12:14.Potro has done that to, and can you feel the noise?

:12:15. > :12:26.Big chance, big chance for Andy Murray now.

:12:27. > :12:34.Outstanding rally. What a forehand that was.

:12:35. > :12:42.Leon Smith, during the rally, was actually turning round and asking

:12:43. > :12:46.some of the Stirling University barmy Army to keep quiet. They are

:12:47. > :12:52.encouraging Andy Murray, and it is hard to stay quiet when you have

:12:53. > :13:09.drama like this. Here is Murray now, two shots from making it 1-1.

:13:10. > :13:17.The ball went wide in the end of the del Potro. He is livid and slams the

:13:18. > :13:22.ball into the court. I think he was angry about a ball being called out,

:13:23. > :13:28.obviously it wasn't, the rally carried on, but it was just the

:13:29. > :13:32.noise. I am surprised the umpire didn't order that point replayed.

:13:33. > :13:37.Irrespective of that is one set all. Andy Murray has squared things up.

:13:38. > :13:41.We said ten minutes or so ago we were starting to get very concerned

:13:42. > :13:46.about how things might pan out but it is one set apiece. Let's go down

:13:47. > :13:52.to Jamie Baker, who is with the rest of Andy Murray's team-mates.

:13:53. > :14:01.This is a massive physical and mental battle, what is your view on

:14:02. > :14:09.the match so far? I think Andy had to get that set. I know it's still

:14:10. > :14:16.in the balance. I still back Andy to win the match, but it's going to be

:14:17. > :14:22.another two more, maybe three more brutal sets. In terms of tactics, to

:14:23. > :14:26.portrayal is consistent with his backhand and a lot of slice. What

:14:27. > :14:34.you think Andy has to do in terms of coming to going back? Andy likes a

:14:35. > :14:39.lot of pace, but you go to the forehand and you get burned

:14:40. > :14:45.crosscourt. I mean, I'd rather him run out than... He's doing well

:14:46. > :14:49.coming forward, but has to pick his times. When he did that in that set

:14:50. > :14:55.he won most of the points coming in. Is a tough job for Leon Smith, how

:14:56. > :15:01.much does he say now? I wouldn't like to be sat on the bench telling

:15:02. > :15:05.Andy what to do in that position. I think Leon will have a conversation

:15:06. > :15:12.and just sort of sound him out, see what he thinks and go with it.

:15:13. > :15:14.Definitely coming forward's been a big attribute to winning that set.

:15:15. > :15:24.Thank you, Dan. During that chat with Dan and we

:15:25. > :15:30.watched a fascinating conversation between the umpire and the Argentine

:15:31. > :15:33.captain, and the tournament referee about the intervention of the crowd,

:15:34. > :15:37.because the Argentine are very unhappy about a call from the crowd

:15:38. > :15:42.about a ball being out when it wasn't during that final rally, as

:15:43. > :15:47.it turned out, in the second set. It is the nature of the beast. A very

:15:48. > :15:52.emotional, noisy and engaged crowd and that's what you get in Davis Cup

:15:53. > :15:55.ties, which you don't get on the Centre Court at Roland Garros. That

:15:56. > :16:04.is the nature of the beast. It will be interesting to see if it happens

:16:05. > :16:06.again, with a close call and if the crowd think it's out, what will be

:16:07. > :16:09.the punishment. It's worth saying before this match began an

:16:10. > :16:17.announcement was made to the crowd saying that these were the rules,

:16:18. > :16:20.the wording of the rules... If you create a disturbance, your team can

:16:21. > :16:26.be penalised a point. And that is the point I think of the umpire was

:16:27. > :16:30.reiterating to the crowd just then. Either way, two hours gone, one set

:16:31. > :17:12.all. Simple now, best of three. That's good hitting, again. He's

:17:13. > :19:30.kind of got his eye in now. Of course, the great thing is,

:19:31. > :19:34.having got things back on a level footing, you don't want to surrender

:19:35. > :19:55.the advantage at the beginning of the next set.

:19:56. > :20:08.The ball was called out. It's only fractions, but I think it probably

:20:09. > :20:53.was. CHEERING Good call, Hawk-Eye.

:20:54. > :20:59.Positive stuff from Murray. The big forehand gave him the chance to put

:21:00. > :21:59.that away. A very good hold their from Murray.

:22:00. > :22:05.Started off well, then del Potro came back at him a bit. Murray did

:22:06. > :22:11.not want to lose that opening service game, with the momentum

:22:12. > :22:18.going his way. It looks like del Potro is sort of... Has got rid of

:22:19. > :22:22.the anger he had at losing that second set with that interference by

:22:23. > :22:30.the crowd. He seems to have regained his composure, back to business.

:22:31. > :22:45.Somewhere at the back of the Emirates Arena, Kyle Edmund is

:22:46. > :22:50.thinking, I wonder how long it's going to be before I'm on court? He

:22:51. > :22:52.will be playing the second singles against Guido Pella of Argentina

:22:53. > :23:24.after this. That is just a huge shot, isn't it?

:23:25. > :23:28.It was in the hitting zone, but you still have to hit it. Especially

:23:29. > :23:35.when you play someone as quick as Murray, it has to be almost perfect.

:23:36. > :23:37.He lines this one up, open stance forehand, incredible hip rotation on

:23:38. > :24:04.that shot and belts it away. Broke his string in there, Murray.

:24:05. > :24:07.Did well to still win the point with a broken string. Like a cricket shot

:24:08. > :24:19.at the end! Broke the racket at the previous

:24:20. > :24:21.shot so he knew he had to come in and get this point over with, and

:24:22. > :25:00.did it so well. Andy's really quick, but del Potro

:25:01. > :25:09.is really good. That was a good riposte to what Murray achieved on

:25:10. > :25:16.the previous point. More conversations between Murray and

:25:17. > :25:17.Leon Smith than you normally see. Well, seems pretty animated today,

:25:18. > :25:51.no doubt about that. What makes Murray so fascinating to

:25:52. > :25:56.watch is the breadth and variety of tennis he can play. Absolutely.

:25:57. > :25:59.There are great players out there, some are the kind where you know

:26:00. > :26:01.what you are going to get, but the variety of what he produces is

:26:02. > :26:23.intriguing. Unlucky, didn't do enough with a

:26:24. > :26:29.volley, though. Yes, and he said something about the volley there.

:26:30. > :26:33.The word volley within there. In there somewhere. With some other

:26:34. > :26:38.words. No pace on it, should have stuck that one away. Again, just a

:26:39. > :26:45.little bit too cautious on it. A volley of abuse to himself. He is

:26:46. > :26:56.such a good player of the volley, technique wise.

:26:57. > :27:02.You kind of sense that Murray thought he had a sniff and is

:27:03. > :27:13.frustrated that it's actually one apiece. In sets and games.

:27:14. > :27:47.That's the 1-2-macro punch del Potro was using so effectively in the

:27:48. > :29:29.first set, Murray using it now. They are playing Gold over the

:29:30. > :29:34.tannoy. The last time these two met the gold medal in Rio. What a match

:29:35. > :29:38.that was. It was the closest, I think I've ever seen to a singles

:29:39. > :29:46.match not in a Davis Cup tie. It was like a Davis tie. A full house on

:29:47. > :29:51.the tennis -- at the tennis in Rio. All the Brazilians were shouting

:29:52. > :29:54.that Andy because they don't like Argentina. The atmosphere was

:29:55. > :29:59.absolutely fantastic. The ovation they both got at the end after a

:30:00. > :30:04.four hour, Leon Smith described as a Blockbuster earlier on, the

:30:05. > :30:10.reception they received was just overwhelming, deservedly so. I think

:30:11. > :30:15.both had nothing left to give. If it had gone to a fifth you might have

:30:16. > :30:18.had to carry them both out. A few conversations going on here, I

:30:19. > :30:22.suspect about the involvement of the crowd again. The Speaker of the

:30:23. > :30:26.House of Commons is here, John Bercow, so maybe he should take

:30:27. > :30:30.either, because he could certainly shut this 8000 up because he deals

:30:31. > :30:35.with much worse on Wednesday the Prime Minister's Questions.

:30:36. > :30:41.It's a balance, because one of the things we love about the Davis Cup

:30:42. > :30:46.is the way the crowd gets engaged in a way it doesn't in any other major

:30:47. > :30:51.tennis event. With that incident in the crowd, they weren't doing that

:30:52. > :30:56.to put off del Potro, they were doing it to say the ball was out. It

:30:57. > :31:00.would've been different if it had been a second serve, but I do think

:31:01. > :31:05.the umpire should have perhaps replayed the second point. Pascal

:31:06. > :31:09.Maria having a long conversation with Leon Smith now. He's having a

:31:10. > :32:16.hard day. Del Potro has served three double

:32:17. > :32:40.faults in this match. Murray just the one.

:32:41. > :32:52.CHEERING. What was he thinking there? Murray won that point, but

:32:53. > :32:54.boy did del Potro lose it? And here's a really big window of

:32:55. > :33:06.opportunity now for Andy Murray. He was after that like a rabbit

:33:07. > :33:29.wasn't he? Out. If you want to know how close

:33:30. > :33:31.this match is, Murray has won 74 points and del Potro has won 74

:33:32. > :33:41.points. Out.

:33:42. > :33:50.UMPIRE: A challenge to the call on the left baseline. The ball was

:33:51. > :33:53.called out. It's time for everyone to keep calm here, line judges as

:33:54. > :34:09.well. A big point that was as well. That

:34:10. > :34:12.would have given Murray 15-40. It wasn't going to lose the point from

:34:13. > :34:32.that position. Becomes 30-30. I like that. That was

:34:33. > :35:52.human error by the line judge in For the moment of that bad call,

:35:53. > :35:58.that game ran away from Andy easily. It really affected him there. The

:35:59. > :36:08.rarely does he miss two returns like that in a row. He's riding both

:36:09. > :36:14.horses that guy, in an Argentine shirt and with a tam-o'-shanter on

:36:15. > :36:18.his head. All the Argentine fans here were given a rousing ovation

:36:19. > :36:28.and welcomed in Spanish at the start of the match today. And there's a

:36:29. > :37:27.great feeling of camaraderie here today.

:37:28. > :37:40.Sensational tennis. Two incredible points there. The forehand from del

:37:41. > :37:45.Potro in both these first two points. Murray played a superb rally

:37:46. > :37:50.there. Del Potro knew from this position he had to go for winner.

:37:51. > :38:03.Pushed so far out, had no chance of recovering. And just inside the

:38:04. > :38:20.line. Let' s see if Murray can get him out of trouble.

:38:21. > :38:35.That wasn't just a double fault, that was a treble fault. Three

:38:36. > :38:42.minutes ago we thought it was going to be 15-40 and now he's lost six

:38:43. > :38:50.points in a row. Three break points for del Potro.

:38:51. > :38:59.Out. Saved one of them although del Potro is going to challenge that.

:39:00. > :39:05.UMPIRE: A challenge on the call on the right-hand side. The ball was

:39:06. > :39:08.called out. While awaiting for Hawk-Eye to do its best, we've

:39:09. > :39:13.spoken to the ITF about that last point in the second set and they

:39:14. > :39:16.said it is at the umpire's discretion whether to play the

:39:17. > :39:33.point. Pascal Maria decided that there was no reason to do so.

:39:34. > :40:04.From the very top drawer, ace number 15. He's so good now that you

:40:05. > :40:08.actually expect him to do that on big points. 131 miles an hour that

:40:09. > :40:35.was. He was almost backing it there,

:40:36. > :40:40.Andy. Not quite sure what del Potro thought what was happening to that

:40:41. > :40:47.ball. It wasn't really a lob. Then it became a smash, then a volley and

:40:48. > :40:58.it almost went into the court. A break point served.

:40:59. > :41:12.That's brilliant. That is just extraordinary. Brute force. And

:41:13. > :41:15.majestic subtlety. It was the imagination, and the disguise. He

:41:16. > :41:19.serves the big serve here and looks like he is going to hit a forehand

:41:20. > :41:23.but he hits what is called a fast drop shot, where it goes over the

:41:24. > :41:29.net quickly and dies quickly. Absolutely brilliant. Not expecting

:41:30. > :42:08.that at all. Break point number five. Murray

:42:09. > :42:14.bashing himself on the head with his racket telling himself he should

:42:15. > :42:42.have gone cross-court again and not down the line.

:42:43. > :43:01.He's not happy, Andy, understandably. Not just because of

:43:02. > :43:06.that missed opportunity in the previous game when he thought he was

:43:07. > :43:12.going to get 15-14. I think Leon Smith is having another word with

:43:13. > :43:19.the umpire on Andy's behalf about the quality of the line calling. But

:43:20. > :43:25.the ball was on the end of his racket and he should have put it

:43:26. > :43:31.awayment Yes, but what is the umpire supposed to do? The linesman made a

:43:32. > :43:36.mistake. There is nothing he can do. Replace the linesman I suppose, but

:43:37. > :43:41.it is human error. It happens. It was a bad call. It was a bad call.

:43:42. > :43:47.It wasn't just a bad call, it was a very bad call. Yes, this that was a

:43:48. > :43:51.huge points, because from that position Murray wins the points, to

:43:52. > :43:56.go 15-40. In the end it doesn't happen. They replay the point and he

:43:57. > :43:59.ends up losing six points in a row. But having said that, at this level

:44:00. > :44:04.you can't let that worry you for that amount of time, and he did. You

:44:05. > :44:09.can see, that's an awful call. No ifs or buts about it. I don't blame

:44:10. > :44:14.him together a bit nuts about it but you've got to throw away, it is easy

:44:15. > :44:17.to say from here, but a couple of points went quickly there with bad

:44:18. > :44:26.returns when he was thinking about it. But at this level you can't

:44:27. > :44:32.afford to do it. This mustn't be a Nishikori moment. Exactly. As soon

:44:33. > :44:37.as the game started again, Murray was back to business. Amid all the

:44:38. > :44:40.debate and the conjecture all that matters is the scoreboard. And

:44:41. > :44:44.Argentina, through that man, have a break of serve in this third set and

:44:45. > :45:02.lead 3-2. I must say from the physical side,

:45:03. > :45:06.they have played two-and-a-half hours of gruelling tennis. Del Potro

:45:07. > :45:11.looks like he has barely started the match. Looks physically lake he has

:45:12. > :45:17.plenty of gas left in the tank. Maybe if it goes on another hour we

:45:18. > :45:23.won't be saying that, but at the moment he looks absolutely fresh.

:45:24. > :45:27.Andy at times looks like he is feeling it. But we've seen that

:45:28. > :45:33.before from him. He has amazing stamina. Sometimes he looks like he

:45:34. > :45:44.is out of it and all of a sudden he keeps on going.

:45:45. > :46:00.No call at all on that but the umpire saying it was out. Do you

:46:01. > :46:08.want to challenge it? This is no laughing matter. No!

:46:09. > :46:21.They always say a break of serve is never a break of serve until you've

:46:22. > :46:25.held your own serve afterwards, and no better time to get back to level

:46:26. > :46:27.pegging than immediately after you've lost a game this the manner

:46:28. > :46:54.that Murray did a few moments ago. CHEERING. Del Potro didn't see that

:46:55. > :47:13.coming. So good. He can spot when del Potro

:47:14. > :47:17.is going to hit the slice and when he comes in bypass that, if he is

:47:18. > :47:23.quick enough, it is not really that much del Potro can do if he isn't

:47:24. > :47:41.going to go over the ball with the two-hander.

:47:42. > :48:04.CHEERING. Punch and counterpunch. And listen to the noise. As Andy

:48:05. > :48:12.Murray squares it up one set each, three games all. What a match. What

:48:13. > :48:17.a way to spend a Friday afternoon. If you've just come home from school

:48:18. > :48:22.you've missed two hours and 33 minutes of an absolutely engrossing

:48:23. > :49:01.tennis match. It's been every bit as good as the score would suggest.

:49:02. > :49:10.That's a sensational, absolutely phenomenal volley cross-court from

:49:11. > :49:14.del Potro there. He's a huge man, 6 foot 6, proportional build. His dad

:49:15. > :49:54.was a rugby player, but look at the touch on this.

:49:55. > :50:04.CHEERING. Did he make it or didn't he make it? Very close. I thought he

:50:05. > :50:15.was going to challenge there, but must have clipped the line. You are

:50:16. > :50:22.the line judge at home. Just clipped it, I think. Yep.

:50:23. > :50:34.Don't you think it would be an interesting exercise one day, I

:50:35. > :50:57.don't know quite in what circumstances you could do it...

:50:58. > :51:03.UMPIRE: The ball was called in. Murray had opened the court up

:51:04. > :51:08.brilliantly and did he finish it off? And this point is what I was

:51:09. > :51:11.going to say. Circumstances UMPIRE: The ball was called in.

:51:12. > :51:14.Murray had opened the court up brilliantly and did he finish it

:51:15. > :51:17.off? And this point is what I was going to say. Yes, he did - just.

:51:18. > :51:20.Wouldn't it be fascinating in a game of some substance, I don't know how

:51:21. > :51:23.you would do it, maybe a first round match at Queen's, but all of us who

:51:24. > :51:28.sit in judgment in the commentary box, we were the line judges in a

:51:29. > :51:38.match and had to make decisions like that? Not me. It is not easy is it?

:51:39. > :52:09.No. Calling a line like that, the margins are so infinitesimal. Out.

:52:10. > :52:20.Almost had too much time for that. There's Dan Evans, who may be called

:52:21. > :52:27.on, who knows, on Sunday to play a key role in this tie. Something else

:52:28. > :52:30.that might be important to a lesser extent, but as this set guarantees

:52:31. > :52:34.on del Potro has only one challenge left, so a set and a match that's

:52:35. > :52:41.been full of challenges and counter challenges. This went to a

:52:42. > :52:45.tie-break, that might be key. Although obviously he would get an

:52:46. > :53:19.extra one in the event of that happening.

:53:20. > :53:27.That's an incredible rally! Some of the hitting from del Potro there was

:53:28. > :53:33.extraordinary. Murray got him back. They both smiled at each other. And

:53:34. > :53:42.there's the roar of the Argentine tiger, the Argentine puma.

:53:43. > :53:50.That ball may have played its last role in this tie. It was beaten to a

:53:51. > :53:54.pulp. During the course of that rally.

:53:55. > :54:06.Amid all that, a break point. For Argentina to take a 4-3 lead. Let,

:54:07. > :54:42.first service. Well, can he do it a third time but

:54:43. > :54:47.this time not clip the top of the net?

:54:48. > :55:24.CHEERING. Del Potro's got his eye on that forehand now. Ebb and flow, nip

:55:25. > :55:28.and tuck, but it's advantage Argentina.

:55:29. > :55:41.What a match. Last three games have been remarkable in the way the match

:55:42. > :55:45.has swung. The match last year when we played against Japan and Murray

:55:46. > :55:49.beat Nishikori I thought was one of the best matches I've seen in Davis

:55:50. > :55:53.Cup. Obviously this match hasn't gone as long yet, it is not into the

:55:54. > :55:59.fifth set, but in terms of quality so far, this surpasses that match.

:56:00. > :56:03.Both players, del Potro taking big risks in that game there, big risks

:56:04. > :56:07.on the forehand. Murray didn't really do anything wrong with those

:56:08. > :56:13.last two points. He was outplayed. The quality is staggering. But such

:56:14. > :56:17.is the return of serve with Murray that one like del Potro normally is

:56:18. > :56:25.up a break and you think OK the set's over but you feel that Murray

:56:26. > :56:29.can still get this back. He has to win two more service games

:56:30. > :56:34.theoretically. It is a long way from being over even though del Potro now

:56:35. > :56:37.has got that step ahead. But what a match! Del Potro's forehand at the

:56:38. > :56:44.moment, we said before the game began, when he is in form it is an

:56:45. > :56:50.immense, bludgeoning weapon. He is like a cricketer in a t20 match,

:56:51. > :56:53.smashing it out of the ground. Does Murray have to concentrate on the

:56:54. > :57:00.backhand to keep it away from that? Or do you reckon he can't keep

:57:01. > :57:04.hitting balls with that frosty? The one thing Murray hasn't hit well

:57:05. > :57:09.today is that backhand down the line, to open up the forehand, but

:57:10. > :57:14.he has hit that poorly I think it is a case of del Potro has elevated his

:57:15. > :57:18.game to a level at the moment that Murray just can't stick with it. He

:57:19. > :57:21.is number 64 in the world at the moment but he won't be there for

:57:22. > :57:34.much longer. US Open winner seven years ago, a

:57:35. > :57:46.career blighted by injury but he is back in style.

:57:47. > :57:55.A bit unlucky there, Murray. Just mishit that forehand. It slowed it

:57:56. > :57:59.up enough. Del Potro had too much time for that forehand. Still hit

:58:00. > :58:26.one heck of a shot, because Murray was covering down the line.

:58:27. > :58:38.CHEERING. Murray was stranded had that gone over. I think that's the

:58:39. > :58:44.first drop shot he's tried. I don't remember him doing a drop shot the

:58:45. > :58:51.whole match, del Potro. Murray has certainly hit a lot of them, but...

:58:52. > :58:58.When you are being pummelled as Murray is at the moment, you take

:58:59. > :59:13.points like that don't you. You do. Out.

:59:14. > :59:21.And he'll certainly take that. That backhand slice has been absolutely

:59:22. > :59:25.rock solid, and that one barely got over the middle of the net. That

:59:26. > :59:44.was, that had to be nerves. Didn't move his feet on that one at all.

:59:45. > :59:50.He needed that serve. First serve went off a little bit in this game

:59:51. > :00:25.until then. CHEERING. That's what he's been

:00:26. > :00:30.trying to do for the last two hours and 45 minutes and he has finally

:00:31. > :00:35.nailed one. That's been his worst shot today. On a point like that, he

:00:36. > :00:41.still have the confidence to go for it and exkite perfectly. There's the

:00:42. > :00:45.one, leans that ball just inside the line. The difference was his body

:00:46. > :00:49.weight was going forwards the whole way. What a backhand. Break back

:00:50. > :01:08.point. Murray challenged it without

:01:09. > :01:13.actually saying it. He just put his arms up. Had to do it three times

:01:14. > :01:19.before the umpire saw him. That was just a question of, that was a

:01:20. > :01:22.tactical call there. Take a breather, just reset here. Let del

:01:23. > :01:36.Potro think where he is. Giving del Potro some of his own

:01:37. > :03:23.medicine there. So good. That was counterpunching at

:03:24. > :03:31.its best from Murray. He was put under pressure almost every shot in

:03:32. > :03:36.that rally but kept on rebounding back at help trove. In the end,

:03:37. > :03:47.forced to play a shot that was too deep.

:03:48. > :03:59.A point for Murray to level things at 4-4. Unbelievable angle on that

:04:00. > :04:08.serve, from that height. Short up the service box, Murray could have

:04:09. > :04:09.gone across the five seconds before that and still not got there,

:04:10. > :04:38.brilliant serve. Not quite sure what happened there.

:04:39. > :04:45.His shoe has come off. You thought Andy would lob them. You'll macro

:04:46. > :04:52.that is what I thought would happen. It is stating the obvious but you

:04:53. > :04:56.have to be so strong mentally to play this sport at this level and

:04:57. > :05:04.intensity, not just for so long but when you have two players here, the

:05:05. > :05:08.world stopped and, perhaps even the world's top five or six when del

:05:09. > :05:12.Potro gets back to that level. The intensity and the enormity of every

:05:13. > :05:15.point, it wears you down watching it, never mind playing it. It is

:05:16. > :05:46.relentless. The length of some of the shots and

:05:47. > :06:45.the margins on the lines. Not much more than 100 mph but the

:06:46. > :07:04.angle they gave Andy no chance. He thought it was a let there, didn't

:07:05. > :07:17.he? He stopped. It was called a let. I heard it. It hit the net. The ball

:07:18. > :07:41.change direction. Did Andy say "Why not just at the

:07:42. > :07:44.fourth set?" He is saying the machine didn't call it. But Andy is

:07:45. > :08:01.saying he can hear it. We heard it. Ice suppose you can go against the

:08:02. > :08:18.machine but I think everybody heard it. Where was that noise before? Can

:08:19. > :08:32.we go back to that began? Here we have it one more time. There is a

:08:33. > :08:40.definite noise. I suppose it is the Alex Ferguson thing, everything

:08:41. > :08:45.evens out in the end. Murray got lucky on the set point in the second

:08:46. > :08:59.set but the bottom line is that Andy is not happy. But he is serving here

:09:00. > :09:04.to keep himself in the third set. Del Potro was not happy about that

:09:05. > :10:25.call but he has decided to keep his powder dry at the moment.

:10:26. > :10:31.Del Potro perhaps mindful he has to serve so he was not too bothered

:10:32. > :10:41.about that but that can be a dangerous game to play.

:10:42. > :10:57.Ace number 17. But what matters are the Serbs to come. This is a game --

:10:58. > :11:02.serves. As a spectator, I love these games coming up, it is what it is

:11:03. > :11:06.all about. One of the best servers, on his way back to being one of the

:11:07. > :11:11.best buys against maybe not the best return about the second best, in a

:11:12. > :11:16.Davis Cup match to go to- one up and I would not bet my money on either

:11:17. > :11:21.player winning this game, I think it is a 50-50 game. I can't wait for it

:11:22. > :11:27.to start because there is some at going on here now. Del Potro thought

:11:28. > :11:31.he got bad luck against him and now Murray thinks it, the crowd is

:11:32. > :11:37.involved in every single point. They want stop, the noise is deafening.

:11:38. > :11:42.This is what it's all about. I have no idea what will happen in this

:11:43. > :11:47.game. What Murray has got to do is get the ball back in the court on

:11:48. > :11:50.the first serve. To get himself in the rally and then try and steer the

:11:51. > :12:07.game his way. Yes. Yet another match in Andy Murray's

:12:08. > :12:11.career where you feel it should carry a government health warning

:12:12. > :12:22.because it is hard work. But it is riveting and compelling. And you

:12:23. > :12:24.can't take your eyes off it. And one Martin del Potro is about to serve

:12:25. > :13:02.to take a 2-1 lead. That was not coming back. Ten aces

:13:03. > :13:35.for del Potro. That was the most emphatic of them all.

:13:36. > :13:45.What was that? That was the worst shot he has probably ever hit in his

:13:46. > :13:49.career. I guarantee if any of you played tennis this morning at a low

:13:50. > :13:56.and humble level, you probably hit a shot like this at one point. A

:13:57. > :13:59.complete mis-hit off the edge of his friend, how that stayed in, he hit

:14:00. > :14:07.that right on the edge. That was unbelievable. May that was the

:14:08. > :14:50.turning point of the match. Could be.

:14:51. > :14:57.You are macro that shot. That one there. Cat and mouse, not sure which

:14:58. > :15:16.is which. Murray took the initiative there.

:15:17. > :15:20.And in a set full of breaks of serve... He desperately needs

:15:21. > :15:54.another one now. Stunning forehand from Murray. He

:15:55. > :16:03.just had to rip it, didn't he? Write down at del Potro's feet. Two break

:16:04. > :16:14.points as the clock ticks past three hours.

:16:15. > :16:20.He thought he had it there for a moment. He actually got there too

:16:21. > :16:38.early on that one. He was there. If he has tweaked to muscle there,

:16:39. > :16:47.he could do with getting this point out of the way. Great serve, that is

:16:48. > :17:00.a great serve. Murray is livid with himself. Stretching those quads and

:17:01. > :17:01.hamstrings. His going to need them for the battle ahead, that is for

:17:02. > :17:28.sure. And in less than a minute, del Potro

:17:29. > :17:34.has gone from two break points down and staring 5-5 in the face to after

:17:35. > :17:39.three hours and two minutes, a set point to give Argentina a two sets

:17:40. > :18:08.to one lead in this enthralling and engrossing first match of this tie.

:18:09. > :18:18.No, come on. Ridiculous, amazing from Murray, reminiscent of the

:18:19. > :18:27.final last year with that amazing lob at a key moment. Absolutely

:18:28. > :18:33.under the cosh. One shot to play. You'll macro 6-foot six man, dipping

:18:34. > :18:55.over his head, set point against you, can't believe it.

:18:56. > :19:23.Can you feel the atmosphere at home? You can hear the noise but can you

:19:24. > :19:43.feel it? He's made it. Sensational forehand

:19:44. > :19:49.from Murray to the feet of del Potro. And he wasn't going to miss

:19:50. > :19:54.that one. Look at the crowd, on their feet, claiming a stunning game

:19:55. > :20:03.from Andy Murray. Yet another break of serve and somehow, heaven knows

:20:04. > :20:07.how, we find ourselves at 5-5. You did call it, you did say that game

:20:08. > :20:13.could be anything and it was not anything, it was everything. Yes,

:20:14. > :20:20.everything. Wow. Now Andy Murray almost has to calm down a bit after

:20:21. > :20:27.those last couple of points. Del Potro, what must he be thinking?

:20:28. > :21:58.Played a fantastic service game and still lost it.

:21:59. > :22:08.Correction, ball was good. That point improve Murray's mood. It

:22:09. > :22:11.wasn't that hard a shot as well, the lines person missed that one. But

:22:12. > :22:15.don't think it will have an affect on the game but it is an irritating

:22:16. > :22:41.thing to Murray. What an impressive game from Andy

:22:42. > :22:43.Murray. Clinical, surgical. An hour and five minutes of absolutely

:22:44. > :22:48.stunning set of tennis and we are not done yet. And you wouldn't put

:22:49. > :22:54.your money either way on the next game. No. It is a measure of how

:22:55. > :22:58.great a player he is now that you sort of expect him to do what he

:22:59. > :23:05.just did in that last game or the game before last. To hit the lob an

:23:06. > :23:10.set point down, you just felt he was going to make it. In this rally, del

:23:11. > :23:15.Potro did absolutely nothing wrong, bumping beforehand. Look at that

:23:16. > :23:20.forehand. Fabulous approach shot, couldn't get any closer to the line

:23:21. > :23:24.on that and that comes over your head, and set point against you, it

:23:25. > :23:34.is just remarkable. He mis-hit that forehand a bit. Just a dipping

:23:35. > :23:41.forehand at his feet. Six points in a row now, what a momentum changed

:23:42. > :23:55.now. What must del Potro be thinking at this changeover?

:23:56. > :24:03.The atmosphere almost speaks for itself. Fantastic. When you think

:24:04. > :24:09.about it, the bad days, Davis Cup ties that came and went and to be

:24:10. > :24:14.supporting public barely knew it existed, barely a decade or so ago.

:24:15. > :24:20.We are now a nation who have embraced the Davis Cup because of

:24:21. > :24:30.that man really. Because he actually got it and realised what it meant.

:24:31. > :24:36.Del Potro now has to regroup and think he is one game away from a

:24:37. > :24:39.tie-break. You reset, in the tie-break, anything can happen. One

:24:40. > :24:44.game away from that, that is what he has to think now. Can't dwell on the

:24:45. > :24:57.fact that he just served for the set.

:24:58. > :25:46.I like that play. Can't pass you with a one-handed backhand.

:25:47. > :26:18.In or out? I think it was out. You could be a line judge.

:26:19. > :26:23.An incredible return from Murray, floating and floating towards the

:26:24. > :26:27.baseline. Taking all the pace, forcing a del Potro to force the

:26:28. > :27:48.game and making a mistake like that. He's got that shot working well at

:27:49. > :27:52.the moment. I think somebody shouted something actually, on the last

:27:53. > :27:55.point in the deuce court when del Potro served which annoyed Murray

:27:56. > :27:59.and he was talking to Leon Smith about it. But we are back at deuce

:28:00. > :28:59.again. Andy will be cross about that.

:29:00. > :29:05.Tie-break time. These are the kind matches when the great players

:29:06. > :29:09.retire, that they actually miss, the bullring, the boxing ring, whatever

:29:10. > :29:22.you want to call it. No quarter asked or given. And who's got the

:29:23. > :29:28.strength mentally to make the right decisions, to play the right shots.

:29:29. > :29:55.One set all, 6-6, tie-break. Welcome back to the two-handed

:29:56. > :30:01.backhand down the line. He's hit it on a couple of crucial points.

:30:02. > :30:13.Another one of those, first point of the tie-break, what a message. Gets

:30:14. > :30:35.so low on that ball. How's your heart rate? Not good in this match.

:30:36. > :30:47.What they return! -- what a return. He took that so early, that second

:30:48. > :30:57.serve, on the rise. Gets a very good second serve. This is a must win .4

:30:58. > :31:43.del Potro. -- point for del Potro. Lunchtime in the bars of Buena 's

:31:44. > :31:45.ire is and elsewhere, I'm sure all of the televisions are on this. They

:31:46. > :31:59.will be engrossed. -- Buena 's even though it was a Murray error,

:32:00. > :32:19.they had -- he had to win this to stay in the tie-break.

:32:20. > :32:59.The cries of come on, Andy get ever louder. He is doing the business at

:33:00. > :33:54.the moment. He goes to the changeover, 4-2. I

:33:55. > :34:00.don't know what he's talking about, but it is the way here's bucking

:34:01. > :34:05.himself up, I suppose. It's not affecting him when he is getting

:34:06. > :34:15.mad. This time, he seems to be playing better off when he gets mad.

:34:16. > :34:21.Looking at Liam Brodie on the sideline, the young British player.

:34:22. > :34:26.This is what Murray and other players have done to give the Davis

:34:27. > :34:30.Cup such prominence. He will be watching this thinking, I want a bit

:34:31. > :34:38.of this action as soon as I possibly can.

:34:39. > :34:54.That's a great shot. He almost got it back. It's not like this in the

:34:55. > :35:00.Tashkent challenge, is it? The Davis Cup is almost like nothing else in

:35:01. > :35:09.sport. In terms of the atmosphere, the noise, and the variation of

:35:10. > :35:12.noise, from AC/DC to Norah Jones, to the sounds of silence. In an

:35:13. > :35:42.instant. Well, one mini-break is never

:35:43. > :36:05.enough. And from 4-1 to 4-4. Five brilliant strikes, one after

:36:06. > :36:41.the other. Gets his nose in front. Judy stands a solitary figure, but

:36:42. > :37:22.we are all with her. It looked to me like he just brushed

:37:23. > :37:24.that one, came at the ball too early on the forehand. It was the right

:37:25. > :38:13.shot to hit. 1-1, 6-6, 5-5. Close. Murray coming in at key moments.

:38:14. > :38:25.Here he comes, takes the initiative. Puts it away. And now has the chance

:38:26. > :38:32.to serve for Ray 2-1 lead in this pulsating dual with the man he beat

:38:33. > :39:00.in the gold medal match in Rio just three weeks ago.

:39:01. > :39:14.2-1, Murray. Three and a half hours of the most end falling tennis. But

:39:15. > :39:22.there is still a lot of work to be done. Let's step down to the

:39:23. > :39:27.courtside and hear from Jamie Baker. What a set that was. How on earth

:39:28. > :39:32.did Andy Murray win that? By doing what he always does - digging in

:39:33. > :39:36.deep and making plays out of nowhere. He keeps surprising us, but

:39:37. > :39:41.I don't know why, because he does it every time. He is just quality.

:39:42. > :39:47.There was a moment that 4-3 where Randy seemed to stop. What happened?

:39:48. > :39:52.It hit the net cord, then someone in the crowd may be shouted. I don't

:39:53. > :40:03.know if Andy stopped because of the net cord or because of the guy. He

:40:04. > :40:06.was thrown off. Del Potro has gone off to regroup, but do you think

:40:07. > :40:16.that in the fourth and potentially fifth set, the different styles, del

:40:17. > :40:21.Potro does not use much energy in the points, and the users a lot. Is

:40:22. > :40:27.that a factor? I don't think so. He needs to get himself fired up and

:40:28. > :40:32.angry, and then he plays his best. Occasionally, he rushes the

:40:33. > :40:37.forehand. Del Potro has to protect his back end now. That is the weak

:40:38. > :40:41.area of the court. He is making so many returns, just chipping and

:40:42. > :40:46.hustling points, I think he realises what he has to do, taking on the

:40:47. > :40:52.second serves only. I think he will keep doing that. And then rushing

:40:53. > :40:56.del Potro to the back. I think that is the main play that will win the

:40:57. > :41:01.match. The thing that finding the balance could make a difference in

:41:02. > :41:06.the closing stages? Beasley, he doesn't want to overdo it. He could

:41:07. > :41:10.never do enough in terms of choosing the right moments and taking it when

:41:11. > :41:14.there is an opportunity, on the second serves he is doing well. Del

:41:15. > :41:20.Potro will give it all. He can't risk too many second serves. He may

:41:21. > :41:24.miss a few more first serves. It is a chess game, and I think Andy is

:41:25. > :41:28.coming out on top. When it comes down to the real gritty moments, the

:41:29. > :41:32.fact that del Potro's backhand is a bit weaker than maybe in the past, I

:41:33. > :41:37.think that is unfortunately where his downfall might be. Pushing for a

:41:38. > :41:44.prediction, what do you think will happen? I think we will win the set.

:41:45. > :41:49.The biggest key is that Andy starts the set well. He can sometimes have

:41:50. > :41:52.a lull and get broken only. If he can push through to the latter

:41:53. > :41:57.stages of the set, I think we will have it. Thank you.

:41:58. > :42:04.We keep saying what a fantastic event the Davis Cup is. There was a

:42:05. > :42:07.period where we were a bit ambivalent about it due to the fact

:42:08. > :42:12.that we weren't doing very well, but you realise what a huge sport tennis

:42:13. > :42:16.is, but also what a huge event the Davis Cup is when you consider what

:42:17. > :42:21.matches are taking place all around the globe today. It really is all

:42:22. > :42:28.around the globe. Croatia are playing France in the other

:42:29. > :42:33.semifinal. I had to have a look at the map to see wearing Croatia that

:42:34. > :42:39.was. There are matches taking place in Tashkent, Sydney, Moscow, New

:42:40. > :42:49.Delhi, O Sakho. The rhizome one and zone two games taking place. There

:42:50. > :42:52.is a match in Lima. Your Thailand -- you have Thailand against Taipei.

:42:53. > :42:57.Portugal against Slovenia, New Zealand against Pakistan. The Davis

:42:58. > :43:04.Cup is, in many ways, still tennis's best kept secret. It is a phenomenal

:43:05. > :43:12.event. It is. It is such an amazing event, I just wish that the ITF

:43:13. > :43:20.could change some of the scheduling for it, certainly in an Olympic

:43:21. > :43:24.year, not do it. Maybe every two years, just because when you see

:43:25. > :43:28.tennis like this, you want the top ten to play every year. For a number

:43:29. > :43:33.of years now, that hasn't happened. It is still a great event, but it

:43:34. > :43:38.should be better than it is and should have every single player

:43:39. > :43:42.playing at this marvellous event. How can you get atmosphere like this

:43:43. > :43:48.anywhere else at any other event? You can't. The scheduling is

:43:49. > :43:52.awkward. It is coming up to 5pm on Friday, and a lot of people will

:43:53. > :43:56.have stuck the telly on and thought, what is this? Because the Champions

:43:57. > :43:59.League has been happening and football is in full swing, the

:44:00. > :44:06.Paralympics and everything, this Davis Cup weekend has sneaked up. It

:44:07. > :44:14.is the week after Ray grand slam. It very rarely fails to deliver. The

:44:15. > :44:27.doubles is invariably the match that get you off your seat. This match,

:44:28. > :44:31.which normally would have been on the Sunday, it has really kicked

:44:32. > :45:08.this tie off in style. Can you coach that? No. It's just

:45:09. > :47:46.instinct. I hate to use the word, but it's genius. Absolutely.

:47:47. > :47:55.A solid start from del Potro. If we talk about a comparison between the

:47:56. > :48:01.two players and their shots, and he has a greater variety. There is a

:48:02. > :48:05.comparison between the two forehands and where they are putting them, and

:48:06. > :48:10.also the wake of shop. You would think that del Potro, we don't have

:48:11. > :48:14.the mechanism to show you to gauge the speed of shop, your instinct

:48:15. > :48:20.would be that del Potro is hitting the ball harder. Murray has a

:48:21. > :48:28.greater variety of shop, but occasionally Murray just rips one,

:48:29. > :48:37.doesn't he? -- variety of shot. When he flattens is out -- it out,

:48:38. > :48:41.Murray's forehand is as powerful as anyone's. The power del Potro has is

:48:42. > :50:31.incredible. A lovely backhand there. That was

:50:32. > :50:36.the first time that del Potro's movement seemed a bit off. He has

:50:37. > :51:07.been moving so well. This one, he was just a bit late getting to it.

:51:08. > :51:13.There were half a dozen occasions in the Olympic final where del Potro

:51:14. > :51:18.looked like he was taking an eight count, and he kept coming off the

:51:19. > :51:24.canvas for more. A bit of a lull at the moment, two fairly

:51:25. > :51:28.straightforward service games at the start of this set. After the drama

:51:29. > :51:32.of the last 25 minutes or so of that last set, culminating in the

:51:33. > :51:36.tie-break. Both players would surely be happy with two comfortable games.

:51:37. > :54:08.It was drama in the previous set. 11 aces for del Potro against

:54:09. > :54:41.Murray's 20. Leaving nothing to chance there. I

:54:42. > :54:48.suppose it's inevitable, it's a bit like an oceangoing yacht in the

:54:49. > :54:55.America's Cup - you get the calm sometimes. The match is taking the

:54:56. > :55:00.foot of the throttle a little bit. There are one or two words being

:55:01. > :55:09.uttered by players on the court that are offensive. We apologise for

:55:10. > :55:12.that. It is a battle. The nature of the match is that even though

:55:13. > :55:17.nothing is happening, this is often when the most happens. You can

:55:18. > :55:22.suddenly sneak a break of serve when no one is expecting it. The

:55:23. > :55:25.intensity of the first three sets, it is almost impossible to continue

:55:26. > :55:30.at this level. They have both dropped a bit. It is a danger area.

:55:31. > :55:35.A little lack of concentration and you go down a break of serve. You

:55:36. > :55:40.need to be focusing to get this match is over with, and you can drop

:55:41. > :55:44.a level and have to work harder to get into the fifth set. That is the

:55:45. > :55:50.job of the captains, to keep punching at the changeover. It is

:55:51. > :55:54.the old cliche, one point at a time, but keep focusing, because it is so

:55:55. > :56:01.easy at this level, with three hours and 40 minutes of incredible tennis.

:56:02. > :56:10.And we still could have another two hours of tennis. Absolutely. You

:56:11. > :56:17.weren't doing anything tonight, were you? What about Kyle Edmund? He has

:56:18. > :56:32.eaten about four meals already. That what lay -- that was lazy,

:56:33. > :56:36.there. He didn't know the feet. This is also where the crowd can help.

:56:37. > :56:47.They also sends it when there is a little bit of danger. -- he didn't

:56:48. > :56:49.move the feet. This crowd almost don't let you relax, even if you

:56:50. > :57:20.wanted to. Too casual there, two points in a

:57:21. > :57:31.row. He just pushed that one in. Here, he had too many options.

:57:32. > :57:41.We did say that a break of serve can sneak up when you are not expecting

:57:42. > :57:54.it. Andy needs to wreak rupiah. -- to regroup here. He made that volley

:57:55. > :58:01.look a lot easier than it was. That one, straight into the body of del

:58:02. > :58:41.Potro. He hit a drop volley off it. That was an excellent volley.

:58:42. > :58:53.Murray was on the ropes, but he got back into the centre of the ring and

:58:54. > :59:08.then made the error. The ball went to the top of his right thigh there.

:59:09. > :00:06.Is a hint of desperation in the Captain's voice there.

:00:07. > :00:20.That was a poor service game. He was all over the place on the backhand,

:00:21. > :00:29.wasn't he? We're not quite sure what he's saying. Is he asking for a

:00:30. > :00:34.medical time-out? The umpire is following things with interest. No

:00:35. > :00:38.doubt, the worst game he has played in the whole match. Exactly what you

:00:39. > :00:47.were saying at the changeover. Egypt with his concert -- he dipped in his

:00:48. > :00:49.concentration, and del Potro said, thank you very much. He is back in

:00:50. > :01:13.the match. Andy can sometimes cut a rather

:01:14. > :01:19.forlorn and melancholy figure. He's doing that at the moment. But he is

:01:20. > :01:44.2-1 up. So good. If he is forlorn, he plays

:01:45. > :01:51.like that. So good, snuck in quickly, acceleration and again the

:01:52. > :01:57.drop volley that he plays so well. Is he moving all right? Occasionally

:01:58. > :02:05.it looks like the top of his right thigh is bothering him.

:02:06. > :02:18.O. He did really well to stay in that rally as long as he did.

:02:19. > :02:20.Certainly his movement didn't look affected in that rally, he was

:02:21. > :03:07.moving well there. This is their ninth meeting, they

:03:08. > :03:20.have never played a five setter but we could be heading that way. What a

:03:21. > :03:25.great forehand that was from del Potro. At this changeover, we can

:03:26. > :03:35.see if they look for any medical things. You would think if there was

:03:36. > :03:40.a problem he would be calling for a trainer. I don't know if we're able

:03:41. > :04:01.to eavesdrop on this. Couldn't really lip reader that? I

:04:02. > :04:31.thought he said cramped there. Doesn't like any of them, that is

:04:32. > :04:36.the fifth racket he has looked at. It has been a battle of wills for

:04:37. > :04:39.three hours and 49 minutes. And it is turning into an endurance test

:04:40. > :04:43.now. Mentally and physically for both of them, it has turned into an

:04:44. > :05:02.endurance test. And he doesn't want to throw the

:05:03. > :05:07.fourth set away. But he doesn't want to let it drift away 6-2 and go for

:05:08. > :05:12.it in the fifth because there is always the chance. It is only one

:05:13. > :05:21.break. And we have seen already that he can break del Potro's serve. But

:05:22. > :06:25.first he has to hold his own. Like that.

:06:26. > :06:32.Even though he has hit those serves at a decent clip, 120, it looks to

:06:33. > :06:36.me like he is not bending his knees as much as he normally does on the

:06:37. > :06:41.first serve, it is more of a straight leg. Not too bad. Only 93

:06:42. > :06:55.mph though. That has stemmed the bleeding

:06:56. > :06:59.anyway. And as you say, it is only one break of serve, it is a let

:07:00. > :07:03.code, one brilliant shot and a couple of errors on the other side

:07:04. > :08:17.of the net. If it isn't there to be had.

:08:18. > :10:02.More in hope than expectation there you would think.

:10:03. > :10:10.So, del Potro on the cusp of squaring things at two sets all. We

:10:11. > :10:14.are getting close to the four hour mark, four hours they played in Rio

:10:15. > :10:19.for four sets. Very similar here. Except I was the Murray came through

:10:20. > :10:25.in four sets there. And the enduring image of Murray and del Potro

:10:26. > :10:28.embracing at the net, floods of tears, exhausted, mentally and

:10:29. > :10:33.physically exhausted. One of the great shots of the Rio Olympic

:10:34. > :10:38.Games. We expected this match to pick up from there and it has done

:10:39. > :10:43.just that. And certainly in terms of the tennis, the first three sets,

:10:44. > :10:48.exceeded it. The Onuoha the quality today, this set has dropped off from

:10:49. > :10:53.Andy Murray. Physically, del Potro looks the stronger but that can

:10:54. > :10:56.change so quickly in this game. Imagine his length, del Potro looks

:10:57. > :11:01.fine at the moment but one game can turn that around where suddenly

:11:02. > :11:06.physically he can get cramp or something. Murray, no question about

:11:07. > :11:10.it, is not moving as well the can also get a second wind. I have seen

:11:11. > :11:16.it from him many times. They have these reserves that they can call

:11:17. > :11:20.upon and it is amazing to watch. He looks out of it at some stages. He

:11:21. > :11:26.must answer here because even if Doug Boettcher holds out to make it

:11:27. > :11:32.2-2, Murray wants to serve first in the final set. Absolutely. So it is

:11:33. > :11:37.a big game irrespective of what happens in the next del Potro

:11:38. > :11:42.service game. Murray hasn't given up on this set yet. He has broken him

:11:43. > :12:06.and del Potro may get a bit tight as well.

:12:07. > :12:59.The first one he has missed. The first lob he has missed today.

:13:00. > :13:08.All of a sudden, that fifth set is getting ever closer. Andy Murray's

:13:09. > :13:25.play has dropped markedly a couple of notches.

:13:26. > :13:30.He has definitely changed his service motion with the legs, not

:13:31. > :13:40.bending as much. He is protecting that leg. 85 mph on the second

:13:41. > :13:48.serve. He had a second serve earlier that was ten mph slower than that.

:13:49. > :13:52.His first serve is somewhere in the 120s but his leg is stiffer. Not

:13:53. > :14:03.bending and going after it like he was.

:14:04. > :14:49.You can see he's trying to keep himself loose. He is tired but he

:14:50. > :14:52.knows if he loses this game, he will put himself through more punishment.

:14:53. > :14:59.And get this back somehow, maybe he could beat off the court in 15 or 20

:15:00. > :15:02.minutes with a win. Murray tries to keep himself loose and del Potro

:15:03. > :15:57.tries to stop himself getting tight. More purpose about that from Murray.

:15:58. > :16:02.The other thing to throw in the mix is if this goes to five sets and it

:16:03. > :16:11.is a long fit set, and he has to play the doubles tomorrow and again

:16:12. > :16:16.on Sunday, etc. Not necessarily. You think he might not play the doubles.

:16:17. > :16:32.If he wins this match and if we won the second match, maybe not. You did

:16:33. > :16:33.say if, not when, didn't you? Eyes think he will still somehow find a

:16:34. > :16:58.way. That is such a good forehand. When

:16:59. > :17:03.you put into context where we are in this match, that was immense. That

:17:04. > :17:08.was a deep return, middle of the court, not giving him any angle but

:17:09. > :17:12.he got round the, and inside out forehand, what are shot. Still good

:17:13. > :18:02.after four hours and two minutes. Del Potro taking a long time now

:18:03. > :18:10.between this serve, picturing where he's going to hit this serve,

:18:11. > :18:11.visualising one of the corners. Does not want Murray to get a racket on

:18:12. > :19:04.this ball. That is brilliant from del Potro.

:19:05. > :19:12.Murray thought he had him but the big man showing fantastic touch at

:19:13. > :19:17.the net. Four sets, four hours, 2-2, everything you could want from a

:19:18. > :19:20.Davis Cup tie and more. It certainly is, we thought the final in Rio was

:19:21. > :19:25.pretty special but here we are already over four hours and the

:19:26. > :19:28.quality of the tennis here at the Emirates arena is outstanding.

:19:29. > :19:36.Everyone knowing how important this match is to this tie as Andy Murray

:19:37. > :19:39.takes on Juan Martin Del Potro. It is a one set shoot out to decide the

:19:40. > :19:44.opening match and then Kyle Edmund has had a long wait in the locker

:19:45. > :19:47.room, they will be out and it will be a late finish for them this

:19:48. > :19:51.evening. We will be staying with this match with Murray and del

:19:52. > :19:57.Potro, we are due to come off air at 6pm but we will be staying on here

:19:58. > :20:02.right through to the conclusion. So much to look forward to in the next

:20:03. > :20:05.few days. The doubles match tomorrow, we won't find out who will

:20:06. > :20:10.play in that match until the hour before but that is the state of play

:20:11. > :20:13.in Glasgow at the moment. Let's show you what else is happening

:20:14. > :20:24.elsewhere. The other semifinal is taking place in Croatia. Richard

:20:25. > :20:31.Gasquet, came through over Borna Coric and Marin Cilic was a set and

:20:32. > :20:36.a break of serve up against Lucas with but we will keep you up-to-date

:20:37. > :20:43.with that. There is also the world group play-offs taking place at the

:20:44. > :20:46.moment. No Stan Wawrinka and obviously no Roger Federer, had for

:20:47. > :20:52.the rest of the season. Belgium is one up courtesy of David Goffin.

:20:53. > :21:03.Steve Darcis playing the other singles match.

:21:04. > :21:08.No Raonic for Canada. Russia against Kazakhstan were due to play in

:21:09. > :21:14.Moscow today but bad weather has stopped play. A didn't even start,

:21:15. > :21:21.that means tomorrow they will have to play two singles matches and a

:21:22. > :21:23.doubles match. A busy day in Moscow. Two up for Spain courtesy of David

:21:24. > :21:32.Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez. That is what is happening elsewhere

:21:33. > :21:38.in the world group play-offs. Everything to play for here and we

:21:39. > :21:43.will be staying with this match, del Potro against Murray. Tomorrow we

:21:44. > :21:48.will be on the air on BBC One from 1:45pm. It will be a crucial doubles

:21:49. > :21:56.match and we will see if Andy and Jamie Murray will be playing in that

:21:57. > :21:58.one. But the question here, in this intense battle of endurance and

:21:59. > :22:01.physical pain, we can see the trainer working on Murray, he has

:22:02. > :22:05.been talking about having a little bit of cramp in both legs and that

:22:06. > :22:11.is not surprising given the busy year he has had. Murray having

:22:12. > :22:14.treatment at the change of ends, one set will decide this match and it is

:22:15. > :22:21.so crucial to both teams. Actor John and John. Some good Scottish music

:22:22. > :22:24.entertaining us throughout this afternoon from the proclaimers to

:22:25. > :22:30.stealers wheel at the moment. The guys are stuck in the middle, Andy

:22:31. > :22:34.Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro, it is down to them now and whatever

:22:35. > :22:38.Leon Smith says and whatever the Argentine captain says, these guys,

:22:39. > :22:42.outstanding. Great players. They have to draw on all of their

:22:43. > :22:45.experience now. The matches, it would only be in grand slams or

:22:46. > :22:50.Davis Cup where they have played five set matches. You were talking

:22:51. > :22:56.about how much petrol was in the tank. Only they know how much petrol

:22:57. > :23:00.they have and how they can conserve that energy and make it last as need

:23:01. > :23:07.be. Exactly. That is what Leon Smith will be saying, he will be saying

:23:08. > :23:11."You think you are tired, you have been running your opponent around

:23:12. > :23:16.for four hours, he will be tired to." I look forward to the battles

:23:17. > :23:20.between these two next year, this could be a great rivalry if we have

:23:21. > :23:31.tennis like this every time they play. I still think Murray is going

:23:32. > :23:35.to find a way somehow. And Pascal Maria asking the crowd to be quiet

:23:36. > :24:21.but they could be 80 element in the next hour or so.

:24:22. > :24:35.Brilliant. That is the Murray that was playing in the second set. You

:24:36. > :24:40.would think a number of drop shots would be taking a toll on del Potro.

:24:41. > :24:51.He has had to cover a lot of court today. This is what Murray once, a

:24:52. > :25:10.nice steady hold at the start of the fifth.

:25:11. > :25:17.Whatever magic was worked on his thigh, we could do with some in the

:25:18. > :25:21.commentary box. Yellow macro the serve is still much right, the is

:25:22. > :25:29.not pushing. He got a couple of cheap once there but he is not

:25:30. > :25:33.exploding through it like he was. The main not be able to get out of

:25:34. > :25:37.trouble with his serve if it gets closer but we will see. We are

:25:38. > :25:41.putting all of that Murray but we don't know how it will affect L

:25:42. > :25:53.Boettcher, with his first serve speed will drop as well. -- will

:25:54. > :25:59.effect del Potro. He will cut it out to the end. One of the matches of

:26:00. > :26:07.the year, the semifinal of the Rio Olympics against Rafael Nadal, which

:26:08. > :26:10.he came through. And Murray is going to have to win this because there is

:26:11. > :26:39.no way del Potro will be giving it to him.

:26:40. > :26:48.We have had 44 aces in this match so far but it hasn't felt like we have

:26:49. > :26:49.watched John is now playing. They have been instrumental in a

:26:50. > :27:20.wide-ranging tremendous contest. The Argentine camp shouting Bueno,

:27:21. > :27:23.as easy as the hold was for Murray at the start of the set, it looks

:27:24. > :27:29.like the Argentine will be doing the same. I think he will challenge

:27:30. > :27:55.that. Argentina challenging the call. Ball

:27:56. > :27:58.was called out. I think del Potro thought Murray's shot was out. This

:27:59. > :28:12.may have caught the edge, it didn't. That particular line judge down

:28:13. > :28:30.there has had a whole range of really tight calls to make.

:28:31. > :28:42.Couldn't do it the second time, brilliant play from Murray.

:28:43. > :28:52.Fantastic point. Some great lunges there. He got to this one, and that

:28:53. > :29:00.one. And then there is that fabulous feel on the lob volley. Looked like

:29:01. > :29:37.a comfortable game at 40-0, now, work to do for del Potro.

:29:38. > :29:43.The band play and the Stirling University barmy Army chance and the

:29:44. > :29:45.Argentinian choir sing and it is a cacophony of noise in the emirates

:29:46. > :30:17.arena in Glasgow. Didn't like that one, did he?

:30:18. > :30:18.Strained his back or a side strain or something. If you watch this

:30:19. > :30:37.moment. It is amazing, do you not think,

:30:38. > :30:44.Federer is out injured at the moment, almost the first time in his

:30:45. > :30:49.career for any length of time. It's a most amazing given that these guys

:30:50. > :30:55.have relentless schedules. They are the ultimate sporting hamsters on

:30:56. > :31:04.wheels, that they do not get injured more.

:31:05. > :31:11.One of the most difficult things about being a tennis player is the

:31:12. > :31:16.training. You have the grand slams thrown in at the beginning of the

:31:17. > :31:21.year, a couple in the middle and one at the end then you have the Davis

:31:22. > :31:26.Cup, so you have to constantly train for five sets, and then three sets.

:31:27. > :31:39.There's not much break. That's the best serve he has hit for

:31:40. > :32:40.a while. He put more of the legs into that one.

:32:41. > :32:48.Del Potro trudges, I think that is the best word to describe his

:32:49. > :32:56.demeanour, as he goes to the net. He knew, Murray knew it, we knew it.

:32:57. > :33:00.2-1. You are obviously biased. As we look at this shot, the rally from

:33:01. > :33:05.the previous game, you are obviously biased as well, but in the context

:33:06. > :33:10.perhaps the hardest sport of all to play, alongside probably boxing, do

:33:11. > :33:21.you think tennis is right at the top of that list in terms of a road

:33:22. > :33:29.beaks kill -- erode Bic skill -- erode Bic... There is a six-week gap

:33:30. > :33:40.at the end of the year, but that is about it.

:33:41. > :33:48.It is a difficult sport, and now finally, del Potro is feeling it.

:33:49. > :33:54.You thought he wasn't, but the amount of court he has had to cover

:33:55. > :34:02.today. And you can suddenly feel it, can't you? It can suddenly happen in

:34:03. > :34:04.one game. Not to the unsportsmanlike, but this is a nice

:34:05. > :34:08.site for Randy Murray when he sees this will stop at one stage, he is

:34:09. > :34:11.looking and thinking, how is it possible that my opponent is looking

:34:12. > :34:19.like he is fresh as a daisy? When you see that on the other side, you

:34:20. > :34:25.love that. -- Andy Murray. He is 2-1 to the good, but as long as he can

:34:26. > :34:27.keep holding his serve, he keeps putting the pressure on a man who

:34:28. > :35:11.may be tiring. Absolutely. It was the shot that was letting him

:35:12. > :35:12.down at the start of this match. But he couldn't have struck that much

:35:13. > :37:32.better. A sensational get from Murray, but

:37:33. > :37:39.great work from del Potro. That was an exhausting point, just watching

:37:40. > :37:44.it, never mind playing it. You can see from Murray's demeanour that he

:37:45. > :37:45.put everything into that. He was being bludgeoned from the other side

:37:46. > :38:41.of the net. Might that backhand down the line be

:38:42. > :38:44.the key shot as the match goes on? He has not hit it enough today. He

:38:45. > :40:23.has to keep going for that one. Murray livid that he didn't get the

:40:24. > :40:24.ball back into play there. Another long, energy sapping game, heading

:40:25. > :40:52.towards six minutes. In the sporting context, they really

:40:53. > :41:46.are warriors. What a serve for del Potro to come

:41:47. > :41:50.up with, having made that error of judgment in the previous point. To

:41:51. > :42:34.put that behind him and come up with a serve like that.

:42:35. > :42:43.Well, that was a titanic game, that. Murray thought he had a sniff, but

:42:44. > :42:55.del Potro closed the door on him. All that, and it is still only 2-2.

:42:56. > :43:02.Amazing. This crowd, though, they are not letting them be tired. It is

:43:03. > :43:06.making them just keep on going. Murray looks like he is out on his

:43:07. > :43:30.feet, the crowd get behind him, he runs.

:43:31. > :43:40.Brilliant tactical thinking as well, there. That is sometimes the most

:43:41. > :43:43.extraordinary thing. Physically exhausted but still mentally sharp

:43:44. > :44:26.enough to tactically work your way around the court.

:44:27. > :44:37.That is exquisite. A spin -- the spin that was on that ball that he

:44:38. > :44:41.was able to take off it. I had no idea he was going to play that. I

:44:42. > :44:47.thought this was one shot he would not play. He tries the more

:44:48. > :44:57.difficult shot and just makes it look so easy.

:44:58. > :45:01.Is there another player in the world that would have played that shot,

:45:02. > :45:40.then? Don't think so. We are getting ahead of ourselves

:45:41. > :45:44.here, but if you are at home wondering what happens at 6-6 in the

:45:45. > :45:49.fifth set in the Davis Cup, this year, for the first time ever,

:45:50. > :45:51.because so many matches have gone on so long, it will be a tie-break, if

:45:52. > :46:07.we get there. Now, that one, he had a little bit

:46:08. > :46:30.of a brain cramp on. 40-0 and a simple hold has now

:46:31. > :47:15.become critical. UMPIRE: Great Britain has one

:47:16. > :47:49.challenge remaining. Well, the second server was 80 mph,

:47:50. > :47:53.and del Potro crunch that forehand. You knew when he set up that his

:47:54. > :48:02.forehand was going to be a winner. It had that look of confidence. It

:48:03. > :48:03.could have gone either way. The Argentine fans, on their feet. Break

:48:04. > :49:51.point. Leon Smith, Andy Murray,

:49:52. > :50:20.synchronised fist pumping. That might be a big point.

:50:21. > :50:58.That is sensational. They know it. And I remount -- and Andy Murray

:50:59. > :51:02.knows it, too. Able to produce tennis like that after four hours

:51:03. > :51:08.and 35 minutes of the most intense competition. Whatever happens at the

:51:09. > :51:12.end of this, it has been a privilege to see two masters of their craft

:51:13. > :51:29.going at it hammer and tongs from the word go. It's just a superb

:51:30. > :51:33.match, two great competitors. The first match in a Davis Cup tie that

:51:34. > :51:37.you get a match like this, because of del Potro's ranking. What an

:51:38. > :51:46.absolute treat for everyone watching this. Big hold, that, as well. It is

:51:47. > :51:51.kind of stating the obvious, but if del Potro had broken the, that would

:51:52. > :51:56.have been very, very hard. And break point from 40-0 down, if he had won

:51:57. > :52:07.that game... They are both feeding off the crowd now, who had been

:52:08. > :52:19.engaged from the word go. We said at 2-2 in the first set that it was

:52:20. > :52:24.some game. Now, they are two prizefighters in a 12 round contest.

:52:25. > :52:32.We are entering the 13th or 14th round now, and they are both still

:52:33. > :52:38.throwing punches. You still wouldn't have a bet, really on which way this

:52:39. > :52:47.is going to go. But Murray does have the advantage. If he can keep

:52:48. > :52:48.holding his serve, the pressure exponentially mounts on del Potro

:52:49. > :53:49.every time he steps up. He has used that tactic well since

:53:50. > :53:54.the second set. The first set, he didn't do much of this, but it is

:53:55. > :54:00.started coming in a lot more in the second set, picking the right shot,

:54:01. > :54:02.getting del Potro to where he can't take the two hander, and then he

:54:03. > :55:03.makes his move. Oh! How did he get that after four

:55:04. > :55:07.hours and 40 minutes of play, to run down a ball like that and hit a

:55:08. > :55:10.winner. He was miles away when he set off for that ball. Just inside

:55:11. > :55:57.the line. Is once again, you've got to give

:55:58. > :56:03.credit to del Potro. Another crucial point. We just had a fantastic

:56:04. > :56:09.winner from Andy Murray to get to 30-30. He just serves swings that

:56:10. > :58:24.serve out wide. And all the agony they've been

:58:25. > :58:32.through over the past half-hour or so was to get us to this point. At

:58:33. > :58:49.the midway point of the final set, but we no nearer knowing how it is

:58:50. > :58:53.going to end. -- we are no nearer. I would give an award to the crowd as

:58:54. > :58:59.well. There concentration hasn't dropped at all in almost five hours.

:59:00. > :59:36.There has been barely an empty seat through the whole match.

:59:37. > :59:47.What a rally! Just so accurate but that forehand, apart from the power,

:59:48. > :59:55.a lot of players with spyware, but not the accuracy. Very few players

:59:56. > :59:59.can do this, considering going up against Andy Murray, one of the

:00:00. > :00:04.quickest players on the tour, to keep these angles and pace over and

:00:05. > :00:20.over again. Quite an extraordinary shot he has.

:00:21. > :00:28.And with a rally like that, Murray gets further and further behind the

:00:29. > :01:05.baseline, so further and further to run to get every ball back.

:01:06. > :01:15.I thought that was going to drop over. He almost got back in. What a

:01:16. > :01:25.game! How big are those of four hands? And how relentless!

:01:26. > :01:31.Absolutely on the money every time. Murray is going, here comes another

:01:32. > :01:38.one, here comes another one! He needs his first serve now. Push off

:01:39. > :01:51.on those lyrics to give himself some power. -- on those legs.

:01:52. > :01:58.You're joking? That is the biggest serve he has it for about three sets

:01:59. > :02:29.too, he knew how crucial that was, gave it all.

:02:30. > :02:44.CHEERING The moment of truth may be beckoning

:02:45. > :02:50.for both Murray and Michael to hear -- for both Murray and del Potro, or

:02:51. > :02:58.court well over five hours ago, playing for four hours and 47

:02:59. > :03:26.minutes. But at 0-40, three break to Argentina. -- break points.

:03:27. > :03:42.CHEERING If that is all right, that was a

:03:43. > :03:47.winner born of anger. Maybe one individual in the crowd that is

:03:48. > :03:58.annoying him? It seems to be, Murray seems to know where it is coming

:03:59. > :04:10.from, or who he is. That was a brave and bold shot down the line. But

:04:11. > :04:20.he's still facing two break points. He needs to get angry more often.

:04:21. > :04:22.Goodness me. The tension, the tension, you really can cut it with

:04:23. > :04:54.a knife! Magnificent from del Potro! That may

:04:55. > :04:59.have been the moment. At six o'clock, we were due to come

:05:00. > :05:04.off the air on BBC Two, but we are going nowhere, as there's tonnes out

:05:05. > :05:09.to be one of the great Davis Cup encounters, so if you are waiting

:05:10. > :05:16.for that question, that will now be on on Sunday at 5.30 one BBC Two.

:05:17. > :05:20.The big debate here is who will come through this marathon battle with

:05:21. > :05:24.both players fighting for themselves, their team and country.

:05:25. > :05:31.It is what makes the Davis Cup so special. It is advantage to del

:05:32. > :05:35.Potro but never, ever count out Murray in a five set match, back we

:05:36. > :05:40.go. That was a hammer blow, because

:05:41. > :05:46.Murray thought that would put him back to deuce, then it was anyone's

:05:47. > :05:53.game, but del Potro guest debate and nailed it. You could see Murray

:05:54. > :05:57.coming in, del Potro in, and the question was would Murray have

:05:58. > :06:02.enough but it was not enough, but what a forehand. It was incredible!

:06:03. > :06:06.The standard of tennis in this match, one of the great Davis Cup

:06:07. > :06:13.matches of all time, it is extraordinary! Great match played

:06:14. > :06:19.against an extraordinary backdrop, the noise has been incessant! From

:06:20. > :06:24.the moment they came on court just after one o'clock and here we are,

:06:25. > :06:31.never made limestone, we have gone past lunchtime and tea-time and

:06:32. > :06:38.almost at summertime. -- almost at supper time, and it has been a feast

:06:39. > :06:40.of the highest order. Can Andy Murray get himself back in this

:06:41. > :07:16.match? That was a bit third -- bit of his

:07:17. > :07:26.own medicine when he was running del Potro over the court. The pace on

:07:27. > :07:28.those ground strokes there. And at 3-4 down, not the easiest overhead.

:07:29. > :08:02.Nothing is easy at this stage. So I'm lucky there. -- that was so

:08:03. > :08:58.unlucky. Agonising, he thought he had that.

:08:59. > :09:06.Such a good return of serve from Murray too, saw hard right at del

:09:07. > :09:12.Potro, and del Potro again fearless but that forehand. He just feels any

:09:13. > :09:15.wheel in the court he can head either the winner or a shot that

:09:16. > :09:52.can't be returned. Extraordinary! CHEERING

:09:53. > :09:59.Somehow or other, Andy Murray has got to keep that ball on the

:10:00. > :10:04.backhand of del Potro. He has to get that first strike in to get himself

:10:05. > :10:08.a head in the rally, then dictate play, but it's not been so easy for

:10:09. > :10:11.him to do that, the defence from del Potro so good, giving him no pace to

:10:12. > :10:27.really work with. That is what he has been doing so

:10:28. > :10:33.well. After a point like that, he comes back with the big serve. He

:10:34. > :11:08.has let nothing bothers him today, del Potro.

:11:09. > :11:15.In 32 Davis Cup singles, Andy Murray has only lost twice stopped his very

:11:16. > :11:23.first ever match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland and against

:11:24. > :11:30.Italy a couple of years ago against Fabio Fognini. But he stands one

:11:31. > :11:38.game away from his third ever singles defeat in the Davis Cup. He

:11:39. > :11:42.needs to hold his serve here and then say to Juan Martin del Potro,

:11:43. > :12:20.OK, over to you, you've got to win it now.

:12:21. > :13:04.Amazing sharp! How on earth did he had that? The ball was behind him!

:13:05. > :13:44.-- amazing shot. The forehand from del Potro has been extraordinary!

:13:45. > :13:53.Three aces in this game. What a fighter! That is for sure. What a

:13:54. > :14:28.competitor. That is too good, though. That is as

:14:29. > :14:33.there's a weaker side? Yeah, sometimes you have to say too good,

:14:34. > :14:39.but was a good approach, not much pace from that two hand but if you

:14:40. > :14:44.can direct it with accuracy, you can still hit a winner from it. This is

:14:45. > :14:45.the man who is seven years ago was the US Open champion and people said

:14:46. > :15:06.he was a future world number one. That is magnificent! That really is.

:15:07. > :15:15.Dexterity! Touch! Grace! Everything you need to stop its Juan Martin del

:15:16. > :15:18.Potro on the verge of a famous victory here in Glasgow, in the

:15:19. > :15:22.opening tie of this Davis Cup runner, in one of the great matches

:15:23. > :15:31.the Davis Cup has seen. The clerk at this moment hits five hours. -- the

:15:32. > :15:38.clock. But Andy Murray is not done yet. Four aces in this game! Never

:15:39. > :16:24.say die. And he is still alive. Amazing! Didn't blink. The Wimbledon

:16:25. > :16:28.champion and Olympic champion and currently a member of the reigning

:16:29. > :16:34.Davis Cup winning team is not done yet. But obviously, the opportunity

:16:35. > :16:39.for del Potro to serve out and win this match is they are staring him

:16:40. > :16:46.in the face. And this changeover is the car must I have seen Murray and

:16:47. > :16:54.the whole match, hardly seeing a word, he knows what is ahead,

:16:55. > :17:02.getting ready for it. His mindset is ready. That is the car must I think

:17:03. > :17:17.he has been. It is quite hard to be come with Motorhead blaring around

:17:18. > :17:23.the arena, goodness me! This is the trouble, you come up with sporting

:17:24. > :17:27.cliches, emotional roller-coaster, but it has been, the brilliance of

:17:28. > :17:34.both players has been something to marvel at, their competitiveness,

:17:35. > :17:38.the refusal to give in at any moment and to trade punches from the first

:17:39. > :17:43.to last has meant that has been an absolute treat in any context as a

:17:44. > :17:52.sporting contest. And it may yet have more to give. But for the

:17:53. > :18:03.moment, this is the moment for Juan Martin del Potro. He can hold serve

:18:04. > :18:31.an give Argentina the 1-0 lead. In this Davis Cup semifinal.

:18:32. > :18:43.Brilliant! There was intent from the first return, the pace of both sides

:18:44. > :18:49.there, hoping his opponent would mess, taking the game to him, big

:18:50. > :19:29.forehand there. And the big backhand to finish the rally.

:19:30. > :19:39.Just yet again, he just comes back after a big point, 0-15 down, calm,

:19:40. > :21:01.puts in the big serve. He got back to neutral. He was just

:21:02. > :21:42.trading blows there. You can see the frustration.

:21:43. > :21:53.That just beggars belief, the brilliance of del Potro, the

:21:54. > :22:11.persistence of Andy Murray. Celtic Park is if you hundreds yards

:22:12. > :22:15.away and the juniors have come to the Emirates arena in Glasgow on

:22:16. > :22:23.this Friday afternoon in September, because here, Juan Martin del Potro

:22:24. > :22:26.has two points to win a truly epic encounter against Andy Murray on the

:22:27. > :22:38.opening day of this Davis Cup semifinal. And that is all he

:22:39. > :22:44.needed. Just one! Misery for Murray, the late for del Potro! And

:22:45. > :22:48.Argentina land a hammer blow to the British hopes of retaining the Davis

:22:49. > :22:56.Cup. What a match, five hours and seven minutes! The most compelling,

:22:57. > :23:04.enthralling, absorbing tennis! You can see what it means to the man who

:23:05. > :23:09.came off second best in Rio! And the player who, so many years ago, they

:23:10. > :23:15.said would be world number one, bend injuries to both breasts curtailed

:23:16. > :23:25.that Korea. But he is back with a vengeance. -- then he had injuries

:23:26. > :23:31.to both wrists curtailed his career. What a performance from Andy Murray

:23:32. > :23:38.too. It takes two to tangle and they have produced together one of the

:23:39. > :23:43.great Davis Cup singles matches and del Potro may get have a key role to

:23:44. > :23:48.play on Sunday afternoon and who knows what Andy Murray's rule will

:23:49. > :23:53.be tomorrow after that energy sapping and exhausting match. Leon

:23:54. > :23:57.Smith, the Great Britain Davis Cup captain, a big decision whether Andy

:23:58. > :24:01.Murray plays with his brother Jamie tomorrow, or whether Dan Evans

:24:02. > :24:07.plays, or Kyle Edmund plays, and we have reached nearly half parsecs on

:24:08. > :24:15.this Friday afternoon and we still have one more singles to play

:24:16. > :24:19.tonight. Kyle Edmund, so often the second singles player for Great

:24:20. > :24:25.Britain, used to going into a much one up or at least at the end, I

:24:26. > :24:30.guarantee that Great Britain will be 1-1, because Andy Murray will win

:24:31. > :24:35.his singles, only losing three of 32 singles Davis Cup matches, but the

:24:36. > :24:41.pressure ramps up on young Kyle Edmund, such a fantastic US Open

:24:42. > :24:46.after he beat Richard Gasquet, and a huge match facing him, because Great

:24:47. > :24:50.Britain do not want to go into the doubles tomorrow, whoever lines up

:24:51. > :24:59.for Great Britain, 2-0 down in this best of five. We are just waiting to

:25:00. > :25:03.hear from Juan Martin del Potro, one of the good guys and nice men of

:25:04. > :25:17.tennis as well, and he is with Annabel Croft.

:25:18. > :25:23.That was quite an incredible contest, an incredible atmosphere,

:25:24. > :25:29.can you give your thoughts on how that much was won? Well, it is

:25:30. > :25:38.amazing, amazing weekend for us, thank you for the respect, from

:25:39. > :25:44.players. CHEERING I really enjoyed the match. The

:25:45. > :25:53.crowd was great. The Argentinian fans were great as well. And I think

:25:54. > :26:01.we did a great match. I1-macro, but I still remember the Olympic final.

:26:02. > :26:05.-- I won. I think this is very important for me, for my team, but

:26:06. > :26:10.we are looking forward to beach another final of the Davis Cup.

:26:11. > :26:15.Certainly putting your team in a good position, 1-0 up, and

:26:16. > :26:20.extraordinary contest, taking us on a big journey through those five

:26:21. > :26:23.hours, what was the key to the match in that fifth set? Against Andy, you

:26:24. > :26:30.never know when the match will finish. He is a dangerous player,

:26:31. > :26:41.fighter, great champion, so I was focused

:26:42. > :26:45.on the time, trying to find the way of the match, and I think in the

:26:46. > :26:48.end, I played good forehands, serves and that was key. And keeping your

:26:49. > :26:50.level up, the last few years have been difficult, the different

:26:51. > :26:53.surgeries you have had, so how proud I do to get your Argentine shirt

:26:54. > :26:57.back on your back and to come out and play at this level once again? I

:26:58. > :27:04.am so happy to be playing tennis again after three surgeries and I

:27:05. > :27:14.cannot imagine this moment in my career. CHEERING

:27:15. > :27:21.Thank you. I mean, this kind of moment was what I was missing at

:27:22. > :27:28.home, during the rehab, and I always play very well in rid Britain, at

:27:29. > :27:33.Wimbledon, and at the London O2 Arena, it is a good place for my

:27:34. > :27:36.tennis. I think everybody loves to watch you play an finally it must

:27:37. > :27:45.have been an exhausting match physically, how are you feeling, how

:27:46. > :27:49.are your legs? So tired! My legs are so tight! But I will have a good

:27:50. > :27:55.massage and good shower and I will be ready for tomorrow. Well done, it

:27:56. > :28:03.was a fabulous match. Juan Martin del Potro! SUE BARKER: Sporting

:28:04. > :28:10.drama does not come any better than that. The vision that Andy Murray

:28:11. > :28:15.received shows everything about this crowd. Appreciating everything that

:28:16. > :28:20.Andy Murray dead. We will head to the red button but Kyle Edmund

:28:21. > :28:24.coming up against Guido Pella. John, Jamie, you were watching that,

:28:25. > :28:29.pretty special? Absolutely unbelievable just when you think you

:28:30. > :28:34.can get any more drama, but del Potro, we can see from that much she

:28:35. > :28:40.is such an asset to the men's game, amusing to see him back on court

:28:41. > :28:44.playing at that level. Doesn't this change the dynamic as far as the

:28:45. > :28:53.Tigers concern? The town! Kyle Edmund. That they would be 1-0 up.

:28:54. > :28:58.-- as far as the tie is concerned. The whole dynamic has changed. As

:28:59. > :29:03.Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro head off to the ice bath, we

:29:04. > :29:07.head to the red button with Kyle Edmund coming up against Guido

:29:08. > :29:12.Pella, then we are back tomorrow for the doubles match one BBC One, but

:29:13. > :29:18.the question is who will play? Will Andy Murray be recovered enough to

:29:19. > :29:22.take part against Jamie Murray? And will del Potro play? The captains

:29:23. > :29:28.have a lot of thinking to do. This has been one of the big dramas at

:29:29. > :29:33.the Emirates Arima. -- Emirates arena. We will have all the drama

:29:34. > :30:00.and analysis on the red button. But for now, goodbye.

:30:01. > :30:03.Unparalleled talent, unprecedented access.

:30:04. > :30:07.BBC Two takes a sneaky peek behind the celebrity curtain.