Semi-Final - Great Britain v Argentina: Day 2, Part 2 Davis Cup

At this point we welcome viewers on BBC Two as our coverage will now

continue. This is a must-win match for the British team as they try to

keep the Davis Cup tie alive against Argentina. Andy Murray and Jamie

Murray have taken the third set. Final Score is next on BBC One. If

you want to continue watching the tennis switch over now to BBC Two.

Welcome to BBC Two. I can't imagine anyone has just turned on randomly,

I am sure you have all switched over from BBC One. This is an interesting

moment. Oh, no! That was a big point too.

Had an easy volley there. Misjudged the spin on the ball. What a let-off

for the Argentinian team there. That was on Andy Murray's racquet, if he

had so chosen. Yeah. But it's still 15-30 on the Argentine serve.

From one lapse from a great player to one end of the court to a lapse

from another great player at the other end of the court. It means

right at the start of this fourth set this is a big chance for Great

Britain. Well, you thought both teams were

going to win that point half a dozen times in that rally. Should have

been put away a couple of times by del Potro.

What a shot that was. That was a blistering shot from

Mayer who has been under a lot of pressure in the last few minutes.

Murray got a tremendous return in there.

Every time you see a shot of Dan Evans, you know what he's thinking.

He is thinking, I want the boys to win this. I want Andy Murray to win

the singles tomorrow. And then I want a shot at del Potro.

Couldn't have been much more decisive about that.

If they can keep this rhythm going on his first serve, there was a

period in that third set where he started to drop a little bit, a

couple of doubles. Now he seems to be really revitalised now.

Mayer certainly has some pace off his ground strokes. When he gets it

right, both sides, back and fore. That came off unbelievably quickly

that shot. They always shout out things in the

crowd, the guy shouted out there, no stress, Andy, no stress. I think he

is kind of wide of the mark. There is still a lot of tennis to be

played in this. Good from Andy Murray there. That last point very

good reflex volley because Jamie pushed across like he was going to

move, and then pulled back. Murray had to really keep his attention on

that next volley. He saw the ball late and he seems to have got

another burst of energy now. I think we will get through this set but

it's not been their best performance but they're getting through it,

somehow and sometimes you don't have to play your best, you just get the

W. At this stage, we can see Leon Smith

in heated discussion with the brothers, who would be he directing

most of those comments towards? He seems to be talking mostly to Jamie,

to be honest. It's almost keeping the energy up, keep the confidence,

keep the belief. Do your thing up there, you know, go for it. It's all

that kind of stuff really. Dear, oh, dear! That looks painful. I never go

anywhere without my pain roller. Do that on your outer thigh, that's

when it really hurts! I am not doing that.

I thought that was out when he served it, but no call.

Two shrieks of anguish from Murray there. Then a roar to go with it.

For him Mayer crossed too many times for his liking, he doesn't like

that. He he thinks his return is going to be better than any serve.

He doesn't like the fact that someone is crossing on him.

That's worked a few times today but didn't work there.

I am sure a lot of people are getting home from maybe watching

your kids play sport or have been shopping or at the garden centre and

just switched the telly on and you are thinking what tennis is this?

It's Great Britain and Argentina and this game is a big game. Great

Britain are 2-0 down from yesterday. If we lose this doubles match, the

holders are out of the competition. So that's why the tension is as

palpable. The noise is as overwhelming. And Great Britain lead

by 2-1 but it's still anybody's match.

But that was one heck of a serve from Jamie Murray.

It's strange, Andy is almost looking the fresher of the two at the

moment. Yeah. The believers still haven't given up

hope. Well played Jamie Murray there. And

Britain nudge ahead again. The band strikes up. But they're not playing

the last waltz quite yet. It is worth saying even if you are

not a huge tennis fan, and this is not the biggest arena so the tickets

sold out in the blink of an eye but I am sure over the last 18 months if

you have been an occasional tennis fan or general sports fan you

thought the atmosphere at these Davis Cup ties is extraordinary. I

have got to go to one. So irrespective of what happens here

over the next 48 hours or so, whether Great Britain make the final

again this year or they don't, they will still be in the world group.

They'll still be in the Premier League of world tennis next year. So

wherever the first round tie is, I would encourage to you try to get a

ticket because it's a sporting event like no other. We were talking about

Jamie Murray looking not quite as enthused as his brother earlier, but

maybe he has a neck or shoulder problem? Dr Lloyd, what do you say?

Looked like shoulder. But he had that roller on himself earlier on,

as well. Maybe the back. Could be. When you think of the doubles

players like Jamie Murray, throughout the year other than the

Grand Slams and Davis Cup, they play no ad scoring, so every game it goes

to deuce the next point wins it. So it's a different mentality when he

comes out here, as well. If they play the full games. Plus a

tie-breaker in the third set. Mentally he has to keep his focus

for a lot longer than he is used to throughout the rest of the season.

Leon Smith was saying, even when you are hurting and running out of gas,

you have to keep moving. UMPIRE: Great Britain challenging

the call. The ball was called out. I hope the linesman got this one right

because that was the slowest ball probably in the history of tennis.

If you missed that one... Well done. That would have been... Ha! I tender

my resignation now! His demeanour has changed slightly.

There is a fiercer look about the big man now.

I would say just watching Andy Murray return today, I am not sure

if it's because he hasn't been able to read the serves as well as

normal, but he normally finds a way to get the ball away from the net

person. Today has been a lot of ones where they crossed on him and he

normally figures it out earlier than he has done today. Maybe a bit of

fatigue, not quite moving on the returns like he normally does. Even

if you get your legs moving sometimes your mind doesn't move at

the same speed. Absolutely. Going to change his racquet, I

noticed. Just see in the score there over the four sets, normally in

men's doubles a lot of tie-breakers. Holding serves. But this court, the

speed of this court, certainly doesn't make it a foregone

conclusion on holding serve. There's been obviously a lot of breaks. A

lot of potential breaks, as well. Especially if you miss the first

serve, you can really get a good hit on the second serve on this court.

We were told before a ball was hit in anger, that this was a very fast

court. Would you dispute that? Doesn't look like it to me. It's not

playing that way. On a fast court those balls get put

away. What you are saying is it's when the ball pitches, it's not

running away off the surface, it's actually holding and checking.

Exactly. Which obviously gives the player receiving the ball a chance

to get the racquet on it? Yeah. Almost every shot from a coaching

manner you have ever seen in one rally. Well played, Jamie Murray and

well finished by Andy. With every game that Great Britain

hold their serve on we get ever closer to potentially a decisive

moment in this match. As we look at Andy there, his

brother's played a krshl part in the whole Davis Cup phenomenon that this

country has embraced. -- considerable. When he comes to write

his oo biography, do you think he will look back on his decision to

embrace the Davis Cup as one of the best decisions he made, because not

just in terms of what it has done for the sport and events, but in

terms of experiences that he has had, as well? Well, I said to Andy

when we were talking about the Davis Cup when I was captain and said in

my opinion when at the end of your career you will be remembered for

Grand Slams and Davis Cup and he wasn't sure about that, but I think

he does now. I think he agrees with that now. Obviously, at that stage

he wasn't expecting to win the Davis Cup. But I think the experiences he

has had here, you can't duplicate them in any other arena, other than

the Olympics and a Grand Slam. Other than that, this is what it's all

about. It's tough sometimes for Jamie to

hit that forehand volley. When the ball gets below the level of the net

it's not easy for him to get that ball up and over. It's good when

it's a little bit higher. But from below the level of the net he gets

caught on that one sometimes. If you were coaching people you

wouldn't actually coach them to volley like Jamie, would you? No,

not on the forehand. On the backhand, yes. Then again you

wouldn't coach the way McEnroe used to hit his volley either and it was

one of the best of all kind. He was one of a kind. He wouldn't listen

anyway! Exactly. When you get these type of points,

and how exciting is it? It's incredible. Spectators love these

volley exchanges. Reflex volleys up at the net.

Getting ever closer to the real pressure points now.

Oh! That was close. Didn't know how it managed to manufacture that lob

with a frying pan shot. Just fantastic dexterity and hand-eye

co-ordination. Brilliant. Sglp Brilliant but not quite

brilliant enough. That would have been a big chance

for a break, or break point at least.

UMPIRE: New balls please. This is still anybody's game.

Anybody's match. Anybody's. That was a tired looking shot off the

backhand there. I would have bet my house on Andy Murray, actually I

don't own a house but if I had a house...

The passionate fans, the Argentinian fan, we mentioned yesterday there is

a huge journalistic contingent from Argentina here. This match will have

huge audience figures, all over Argentina.

Del Potro is a massive star there. Should put that ball away. Quick

hands from Jamie Murray. Should have put this ball away.

Mistimed his jump there, didn't he? Just took his eye off the ball,

maybe. Not sure, looked like he had it. He did that yesterday and got

lucky and it flew off the frame of the racket.

Well, better that at 30-0 than 40-40 but... It opens the door

fractionally for the Argentinians here.

UMPIRE: Great Britain leads five games to four.

Somebody in the Great Britain team was saying something to Andy Murray

there because he said back I I know, I know. I don't think it was

anything like hold your serve, they have to serve out for the match, but

that is the scene we find ourselves in at the moment, where it is up to

Mayer to hold serve or Great Britain will live to fight another day in

this Davis Cup tie tomorrow. Jamie has served well today, in fact

upped his serve well today. He has been solid in that department.

They just haven't combined as well as a team as normal. They are still

winning and I think they are still going to win this match but it

hasn't been their best per. You can't always expect that. As long as

you grind out a win, that is what it comes down to.

UMPIRE: Time. It has been a real Caledonian feel

to this Davis Cup tie, from the music, from the bagpipe, from

everything. This could be a big moment for British tennis.

Two sets to one to the good. The holders of the Davis Cup and if they

can break serve here, and win this doubles, there is life in this tie

yet. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Good defending there. Well played Jamie Murray there.

They can sense it. And you can probably sense it at home as well.

Two points from victory. Made it. What a volley. What a

point. After nearly three hours of

absorbing tennis. A real ding-dong match for the first two-and-a-half

sets. The Murray brother brother have

never lost a Davis Cup doubles match together, have three match points.

There it is. The flame flickers. Britain's Davis Cup dream is still

alive. Sunday will be decision day.

Understandably at close of play last night and it was very late as well,

a mood of December pond sip hung over that British team, because

after that gruel I epic defeat for Andy Murray, and then Kyle Edmund

losing in four sets to Pella, it was a long way back, but in the top

level of world Davis Cup tennis, ten times in 35 years only ten times in

35 years has a team to come back from two matches down to win 3-2 and

to start out on that road you have to win the doubles.

Huge round of 57 applauses for the Argentines who played their part in

that tremendous match. Juan Martin Del Potro and Leonardo Mayer.

As I was say, to get back in to the match, to get back in to the tie, to

keep the dream alive of retaining Davis Cup for the first time in 80

year, one step at a time they had to win that doubles match, to make it

2-1 and that is what they have done, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. Ultimately, it was

more about will power, especially from Andy Murray's point of view for

the first set-and-a-half, because he did look a shadow of the Andy Murray

we normally see, not surprisingly, after the enormity of yesterday's

contest, the longest match he had played in lives. The longest match

Juan Martin Del Potro had played in his life. He played more serves than

aces in his life and he still didn't win, he had to pick him up from that

and he has and in the company of his brother he had kept this Davis Cup

tie alive to the third day. Well done to both of you what a fantastic

match and atmosphere, kept the tie alive, you would be look like you

enjoyed yourselves there. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Amazing match, great atmosphere, obviously yesterday was a very tough

day, and yes, you have to come out and get the win, with Jamie today,

was great. He played unbelievably well throughout the whole match.

Obviously still two one down is a tough position to be this but we are

closer than we were at the beginning of day. I still think we can come

back. Jamie you had a fantastic day out

there on the court. Is there a sixth sense between you as brothers when

you are out here? I guess so, yes, I mean, it's, you know it is there for

me to play in a Scottish crowd, it gets quite emotional.

We count have written that. You know, Del Potro played the match,

for me it is exciting to play against the best players in the

world, it was a battle. They hit so hard from the baseline it is

difficult to volley and judge the ball, but we did a great job. Andy

returned amazing all the way through the match. Give us a lot of chance,

and like say, we are back in the tie and tomorrow is a new day and we

will be going as hard as we can go tent the two rubbers we need.

And genely, Andy as Jamie said, it is going to be a huge day tomorrow,

can you give us your thoughts ahead of the day? . It is going to be

tough, obviously, yesterday a very long match and nearly three hours on

the court today and doubles, not as much moving but there is a lot of

kind of explosive movements, trying to react quickly, and you know, I am

obviously tired just now. I know how their players will be feeling as

well. So I will try and get through the first match, and, see what

happens. Well rest up. Well done again today Jamie and Andy Murray.

Best of luck. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Really is impossible to overestimate, impossible to

overestimate the esteem in which Andy Murray is held. In Britain, but

if Scotland in particular. He is the hero to end all heroes. And here is

another Scot who has a key role to play tomorrow.

Well I know there is a lot of noise out here and they will get a big

cheer as they leave the court. Gives your thoughts on that win today,

they were both on fire. They were, they will probably get a huge round

of applause as they leave the court. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Wow! Well you know, they have given us so many good moments together as

a team, obviously, the last couple of years in particular, and we

needed them. As soon as we heard obviously that Del Potro was coming

in, playing their cards and, they wanted to try and finish the tie

today, but we have kept ourselves alive now, from the Murray brothers

yet again. And what made them so effective as a

team out there, particularly when they were down a break, they shifted

that momentum? It is a number of things and I think as the match went

on Andy started to return well, Jamie was very very sharp round the

net, Jamie's serve has improved a lot, that is why he has two slam

titles now and they combine so well. Overall, think, on a faster court

like this the doubles team ended up winning who play the points better.

Your role is crucial. Ho are you able to pick up the spirits after

yesterday? I am not sure my role is that crucial. I was whammed from

yesterday. -- whacked from yesterday.

Very crucial. It is actually, I think the double's day is great. I

think it is not like you are sitting through eight or nine hours of what

we did yesterday, everyone coming giving a lot of energy, we will need

the Glasgow roar tomorrow. OK. Finally, Andy said he is going

to come out today tomorrow, he is first match on, he said he is tired.

What your thoughts ahead of tomorrow? If, everyone is tired. It

is that stage of the season. Their team is the same, but, if there is

someone you want to go out for your first match to get a rubber on the

board it is Andy Murray. Well done today, we wish you the best of luck.

Leon Smith everyone. Thank you everyone.

SUE BARKER: You will guarantee there will be more of the Glasgow roar

when it is needed. Argentina lead 2-1 so Great Britain must win two

singles matches. Jamie, what a magic end, it looked a bit dicey in the

third set, didn't it. They came out so well. Well. Jamie especially

started the match tremendously but the surprise package was Mayer. He

played really well. I mentioned he might have changed tactics but they

didn't. Their ground stroke on the back of the court caused the Murray

brothers a lot of bother. They dug deep an came through. Andy did so

well to get himself back in the match. Jamie was in tremendous form

all the way through. He was, he was best player on court. Andy played a

bad game to lose his serve but Jamie was constant. He served so well

volleyed so well, he was the leader on the team today. Overall it was a

gutsy match to get through that, not easy and they did well to come

through. We will hope Andy rests up. He will be the favourite in his

match. Juan Martin Del Potro, who do you think Smith will put in, Kyle

Edmund or Dan Evans? It has to be Dan Evan, to question. John? I

agree. Dan Evan, sleep well Dan as well then. OK, that is it for

tonight, but just to let you know that tomorrow, we will be here for

the crucial matches. Murray against Pella first up at 12.45, then Juan

Martin Del Potro, he will take on we think it will be Dan Evans, so that

is tomorrow on BBC One at 12.45. But, Davis Cup never fails to

disappoint. Looked a bit dicingly the third set but the Murray

brothers came through, it has been a magical day of tennis here in

Glasgow. Goodbye.