Quarter-Finals - Serbia v Great Britain: Day 1, Part 2 Davis Cup

Welcome to the Davis Cup. We may be talking quite a bit because more

rain is expected. Get in touch. And look at our Facebook page as well.

We would love to hear from you. This is the scene once again. Hopefully,

the stands will fill up. We can hear the students from Stirling

University making their presence felt. The players are back on court.

They are completing the warm up. That is the good news. The bad news

is that we have heard there could be a thunderstorm. Hopefully we could

get a lot more play. 2-1 to car -- Kayal Edmond. Let's join our

commentators. We've had three games so far and the

pool is more full than this morning and could be very full a little bit

later on. A lovely sports complex here. Much

of the noise is coming from the wonderful British tennis supporters

from sterling university. No matter where you put the tie, they're going

to get there and make themselves heard. They are on the right of your

picture, making a big difference here, it must be said, to all the

players in the tie. The dignitaries in position. Getting

ready for this first match. Best of five matches in Davis Cup, two

singles today. This is the Serbian number two, Janko Tipsarevic, a

former world number eight. He's with his captain. Bogdan... I've tried to

say his name about 15 times. I can't say it, John. A brilliant doubles

player there. He will be required on Saturday.

Doubles on Saturday, reverse singles on the final day.

21 years of age, Kyle Edmund. This forehand, we've been talking about

already, it can get through the court even in heavy conditions. It's

a big weapon, no doubt about it. Tipsarevic will have to go

down-the-line to keep him honest. Number 67 in the world at the

moment. That's a career high by one place for Kyle Edmund. He's one

place above Aljaz Bedene now. Once again the pressure from the

Edmund forehand keeping Tipsarevic on the run and it's a break of

serve. This young man leading the way for

Britain, Andy Murray, on the side lines for the tie. But he's

supporting his team-mates. He's present in Belgrade. The Wimbledon

champion, but this is number one. A lot of errors at the moment from

Tipsarevic. He looks a bit tight to me. He's an experienced Davis Cup

player. But he's been out for such a long time now. He looks like he's

trying to find his way at the moment. Not getting much length on

the court. He's allowing Edmund to dictate the

vast majority of these rallies. He plays quickly between points,

Kyle Edmund. He rushes opponents. He rushes the forehand. He can dictate

play. He's an awkward customer, especially on the slower surfaces.

Tipsarevic was beaten here, the execution not quite there. He is

dictating at the moment, Edmund. Well constructed point there from

Edmund. Even on the backhand side, he just has that ability to step up

the pace. We've seen it on the forehand, again, it seems to me, at

the moment, that he's in the driving seat in these rallies. Tipsarevic,

at the moment, is not hitting the ball deep enough to keep Kyle Edmund

pinned back. There's been way too many middle-court balls, allowing

Kyle Edmund to get on the front foot. He's played very well so far,

seemingly not nervous at the moment. For Tipsarevic, he's got to start

engaging in some longer rallies here to push Kyle Edmund, see how he is

physically. At the moment, these rallies are pretty short and he's

allowing the Brit to dictate the points. This is the world team

championship, if you like, the World Cup of tennis. Britain are the

defending champions, the first victory last year in Belgium on a

clay court, where a young Kyle Edmund made a debut in the final. In

front after dorg fans he won the first two sets against David Goffin

only to lose in five sets. This is only his second singles match.

Serbia without of services of Novak Djokovic.

Tipsarevic, who's been out with foot injuries and surgeries and 17 months

out full on, probably a few weeks before he took the time off and a

few weeks after, it really just, you can take those out as well. It's two

years plus really he's been affected.

Born in this very city, 32 years ago. A proud Serbian tennis player.

A proud Serbian. Champion nation in the Davis Cup in 2010.

Even though he missed that forehand, again you can just see the

difference of pace. Kyle Edmund in comparison with Tipsarevic, he goes

through the court fastier, heavier. ( Tipsarevic needs to start getting

some length. That's a real strength of the

Serbian player. Hasn't had much time to bring it into play yet, John. No,

that's about his best shot. I think he is going to have to go behind

Kyle Edmund a lot more than he has done. Otherwise Edmund sits in that

middle of the court and go out wide on the backhand. Then he can

dominate with the forehand or the one down-the-line.

Just the pace on that shot, even though that hit the net, it was

still too fast. That was an important hold. And the

backhand down the line at 30-30 has played its part in keeping

Tipsarevic in this set. A best of five set match, match one of a

potential five, here. Two singles back-to-back today, a doubles on

Saturday. And singles on the Sunday. Lots to look forward to.

CHANTING. The trainers, the physios and

players. Later on, James Ward will go for Britain against Serbia. Dusan

Lajovic. They have got to stop this. Pascal

Maria in the chair. There were two calls there,... Ladies and Inkerman,

don't make calls during play. Just leave that to the officials. This

was the second of the two. That was called out by somebody in the crowd.

Kyle Edmund of the sea with no idea of where the call came from. --

obviously. CHEERING.

And you will notice between first and second serves, a lot of people

are calling out and there is hissing. This is Davis Cup. They

will hiss and savings and they will find out what your mum and dad are

called! Allsorts of things. Well, the good thing, the crowd is pretty

sparse. If this was packed, with 6000, you would hear a noise. But I

suppose, because of the absence of Novak Djokovic and because of the

weather, the crowd as they let in -- the crowd is a lot less vocal and it

is the British supporters that you here.

New balls, please. Great Britain lead 5-2. I have seen some extremely

hostile crowds in Davis Cup. Some of the worst calls made by linesmen

have happened in Davis Cup. It has all contributed to the rich history.

They have changed it now, because at least they have better refereeing.

In the old days, you would get the locals giving you footfalls all the

time. There was nothing you could do about it apart from standing for

feet behind the line on cell. And in Italy, they would throw coins at

you. Dashed behind the line on serve. You either embrace Davis Cup

will you don't. And it looks as if so far, as Kyle Edmund went in the

final, he has played spectacularly. For a while. At the end in that

final, his legs were individually. Tremendous Davis Cup debut. So far,

he looks at the experienced player out here. That has surprised me and

at the moment, Tipsarevic is surprised at the weapons that the

coming up against him. With the big first serve and that forehand.

Edmund is getting a lot of quick, cheap points at the moment, which is

what he wants. A very good start. Oh, unlucky. He has taken the ball

very early, try to not get pinned down behind the baseline. He is

taking the ball more on the rise. CHEERING.

A very good second serve. Get a lot of work and a lot of cake in that

second serve. A good wrist snap. -- a lot of kick. He uses his legs,

strong legs. Nice disguise, as well. That is a

stronghold and he is asking Kyle Edmund a question here in this game.

It will be intriguing to see how Edmund handles this.

Well, he knew, going into this match is that the Kyle Edmund forehand is

a shock to try to get into play. He skips to his left, trying to cover

his backhand. That leaves that gap down the line if you get your

technique and timing spot on, which Tipsarevic didn't, on that occasion.

CHEERING. GB FANS CHANT.

CHEERING. Fantastic play. A couple of big

forehand is there. That is the one that really won the point. From

there, he is not going to miss this one. But he can create power from

anywhere in the court with that shot. Tipsarevic at the moment

cannot find a way to that weapon. And it a great start for Great

Britain in the quarterfinal. In defence of a title that they won

last year. Kyle Edmund has won the first set. Just the one break of

serve and no sign of the rain, just yet, either. Which is even more good

news. But we here it is coming.

STUDIO: A great start for Kyle Edmund. Jamie

Baker has been walking with me. A very confident performance from Kyle

Edmund. Yes, it looks like he has done his homework and prepared.

After he lost at Wimbledon, he would have spent a lot of time working on

the clay. He looks comfortable. It's worth mentioning that in the break

Tipsarevic has had, he has been out of the game and not able to improve

and everybody else has been improving. It looks a little bit as

if he has dropped back in and the game has moved on a bit. It is the

power and pace of the Edmund forehand he is struggling with. And

if we look at the stats, Inglot more winners from Carl than front of

serve it. Not such a great first serve percentage but not so

important on clay. Tipsarevic has not looked so good. No, he looks

better in the first three games before the initial rain delay. But

when he came after the rain, it was a sloppy start. Really the story of

the first set has been the domination of the Edmund forehand.

So I think the Serbian patterned along with Tipsarevic, will have to

find a way to disrupt that rhythm and how to keep the ball away from

his forehand. And if you are Leon Smith, you are saying to Kyle, more

of the same, please. His attitude and demeanour on the court is

absolutely right. He is looking very comfortable. He has been in many

Davis Cup squad but only played in one rather, that match against David

Goffin in the final. This is only his second one. He has not won one

of these. So he will be absolutely focused to get one of these.

But I can tell you that Lucas Russell is serving for the match for

a one only -- 1-0 lead against Wilfred Tsonga in the Czech Republic

versus France match. Also Victoria Azarenka issued a statement on

social media to say that she is expecting her first child at the end

of the year and will return to the sport after that. So Victoria

Azarenka is pregnant and expect in her first child at the end of the

year. We wish her well. COMMENTATOR:

. What a surprise, how delightful. Very much missed from the game. But

a more important thing in tennis, for sure. Second set. First set to

Kyle Edmund, quarterfinal of the Davis Cup.

The voice of Andy Murray in the background. Encouraging Edmund.

And an important passage of play at the beginning of the second set. Not

one-way traffic in the first set, but Kyle Edmund, as Jamie Baker was

saying, certainly dominating. You feel like he has got the weapons to

win this match. Tipsarevic trying to find his way

in. If you are Kyle Edmund, you would

like to see Tipsarevic going for a winner from this position on the

court. If you can keep making him do that, good luck. He might make one

occasionally, but the percentages are not in his favour. Excellent

point from Edmund. That was a chance. Tipsarevic is

trying to link the ball into play. He is trying to buy himself time. --

loop the ball into play. Every rally, it is trying to keep Edmund

back. But the difference is the sound of the shot went Kyle Edmund

hits the ball. It goes through the court. At the moment, Tipsarevic,

not much pace. Height over the net, not quite

enough top-spin. Nothing feels worse than getting duffed up in front of

home fans. And in his home city. Break point down.

CHEERING. Not this time. Massive break. Close

fit from Captain Leon Smith with Andy Murray supporting in the

background. But self back into that rally, didn't he, Edmund? -- got

himself. Some excellent defence. This is a perfect start. It really

is. And obviously, Davis Cup, we have seen how much it can change.

But the first set and bad break, it looks like the matches almost in

Kyle Edmund's hands. -- the first set and that break. It doesn't look

as though Tipsarevic can hurt him. Where he can hurt him is with his

experience. If the match gets closer, that may come through. But

in terms of the tennis side, I don't see how Tipsarevic can hurt him. He

has not got enough pace on his ground strokes, he can't hurt in

with the serve. And Kyle Edmund is the one moving his opponent around.

Superb start. Well, that's a magnificent shot. It

is only the second one we have seen, that backhand down the line which is

his favourite shot. In that rally, he was more aggressive from the

start. And again, that is a tough shot, not easy to keep making those.

A long way behind the baseline. In these conditions, they are heavy

out there. The atmosphere is heavy, the court is heavy. But Kyle Edmund

can hit through it. He has that kind of pace.

CHEERING. Well, a well worked point. SERBIA

FANS CHANT.. Starting to get a little more aggressive, with these

ground strokes, Tipsarevic. A couple of rallies in this game where he has

taken charge. You can see there, it is raining,

you have the unwell is up. If this was grass, they wouldn't be playing.

Not heavy enough to stop it. -- the umbrella is up.

SERBIA FANS CHANT. We haven't seen many of those type

of points, where Kyle Edmund has picked the wrong shot to attack on.

From where he was, percentages were a bit low. Generally speaking, he

has played these points very well. We have seen him run out of energy a

couple of times, and these emotionally charged matches, which

is what representing your country in the Davis Cup is about, they do take

it out of you. Last five minutes or so, as Edmund tries to back up this

break of serve, a couple of errors that he would not have made in the

first set. Let, second service. Rushing in

little bit, perhaps, Kyle Edmund? CHEERING.

GB FANS CHANT. Oh, in these conditions, with the

rain falling in Belgrade, that is a piece of physical strength is just

when he needed it. His tennis balls become like cannonballs.

CHEERING. Admirable resistance as Tipsarevic

mounted a challenge to him, there. And now Kyle Edmund from Beverley in

Yorkshire, British number one for this Davis Cup tie, a chance for

2-0. And Andy Murray first on his feet to

applaud that hold. That is a mini battle won. Definitely getting

extremely wet on the court servers now and one wonders how long they

can continue this first match. One or two people voting with their feet

and heading out of this very impressive arena in Belgrade. And

surely this decision will be in part informed by what is expected here,

which is perhaps a thunderstorm and more rain. Tipsarevic is saying, I

am happy to carry on. Floodlights on, but menacing clouds overhead. So

much of this weather seems to have been following the tennis tour all

the way from Monte Carlo in the springtime in the clay of the Monte

Carlo country club, through the Italian open in Rome, certainly

Queen's Club affected, Wimbledon as well. But play will continue. One

set and 2-0, Kyle Edmund. CHEERING.

I think generally, when you are down a set and a break, you want to get

off. But I think Tipsarevic started -- felt he was starting to get the

momentum. Even though he lost that, he had break points.

That is huge. There is no doubt he knew what he was going to do there,

took off early, way outside the tramlines, total confidence in that

shot. And John Lloyd, is the message it sends. You don't want to be

hitting a weak second serve to that, next time. Perhaps you draw a double

fault or a weaker second serve as a result.

next time. Perhaps you draw a double fault or a weaker second serve as a

next time. Perhaps you draw a double not we get any tennis on day one

remains to be seen, You could understand why Tipsarevic

didn't really want to go off. He is starting to find his range now and

that is important when you have had such a long time away. It is two

things, it is very draining to keep going on and off and also quite

rightly at the start of the first 30, 35 minutes he looked a bit

shocked by the pace and the power that Edmund was bringing to the

court but he will get used to that, that is a factor of him having

missed so much tennis. He doesn't want to have to start again because

he was quite slow out of that box after the rain delay. Kyle Edmund is

looking assured, good news the Lyon Smith because he is the future. It

-- for. This is his time to be the number one player and the story of

the match so far and the concept of Tipsarevic being overpowered, it has

all been down to the forehand, the big first serve and the forehand and

he can hit the forehand from anywhere so Tipsarevic will have to

think about what he does strategically because if he goes to

the backhand Kyle Edmund can stand in the corner and play the forehand

all day. This is him taking the opening set, playing better and

better. You thought, will he be nervous, but he isn't showing any

sign of nerves. Not at all. Tipsarevic Bidwell quite well to

hold at 5-2. -- did quite well. He had broken the Tipsarevic server and

then got two break points himself. It was that the point where there

was definitely a temptation to go into the open court, and then again

the break point, finding the big ace. He definitely used up some good

strength to get that one. It shows what weapons he has. John Lloyd, he

is looking so assured out there. It is so impressive because when you

have and the lorry in -- Andy Murray in the team, you think, we have two

wins, you think if we don't win it is not a big deal. But this match is

so huge. They have obviously discussed the way to go after

Tipsarevic, I don't think Tipsarevic was expecting this, they have done

their home work, yet he has managed to hit through the court so well.

Tipsarevic has to find a way to get back into the game, the backhand

down the line, he has to get him off that perch where he is, native. He

has missed a couple down the line because Kyle is making him try to go

for winners. At the moment it is tough for Tipsarevic to come back

into this match. Kyle at the moment, although we have seen it before, so

we can't get ahead of ourselves, but he is dominating and Tipsarevic will

be worried. You have been Davis Cup captain, what is your role now? Do

you talk to your player, leave them alone? Both players, there will be

different, says. Kyle Edmund, the coach will be calm, he will be

saying, you are looking confident, just keep doing it. Tipsarevic's

captain will have to be saying, listen, you have to start getting

better length, you have to hurt the forehand, go down the line a bit

more, be more aggressive. I thought he was more aggressive in the second

set and I thought it looked like he was getting his form back but the

rain came and he didn't manage to break Kyle Edmund. To me he was

looking a bit better but at the moment no weapons. What we were

talking about Andy Murray with Evander Lendl, they will be talking

about all of the positive things. -- Ivan. I am sure he will want to

speak to him but not too much. The coaching team have been fantastic,

they do their homework on opponents and it really does look like,

because it is something to focus on, there are so many opportunities to

be distracted high pressure in Davis Cup but they so good at just

focusing on the match, what do I have to do, how do I broke down --

break down the opponent? They are really good so I think they will be

focusing too much on that because you don't want to burn too much

energy thinking about it, just keep it up. Another person who has to sit

and wait probably for quite a long time is Britain's James Ward, he

will be on against Dusan Lajovic, and he is a player who has achieved

some vital wins the great Britain in some big tyres.

Any issues switching from grass to clay? Obviously I was on it until

Tuesday, Wednesday myself, so maybe a few days extra, but I think it

will be the same for everybody. How do you think about your form

generally? We have discussed this before but it has been a tough year

for you, struggle to get wins on the full tour. It has been difficult, a

few things off court as well as some injuries, which hasn't made it easy

to play the schedule I would have liked to have played, so from the

outside looking in it has maybe been frustrating for people but even more

so for myself, but hopefully for the rest of the year I can now crack on

and try to get back to the level I was playing at last year. You said

no hesitation in accepting the offer to come and play. Are you trying --

that was one personal sacrifice you have made this week. Yes, I missed

two tournaments by coming here but I have always played for my country

when asked and the competition means a lot to me, you saw that last year,

for the last five years I have played, I was there from the start

so every time I have been asked to play I have done so. When the

ranking starts dropping so fast it is hard, you have to go do some

strange parts of the world to play in challengers. It is difficult

James Ward because last year at Wimbledon he made the third round

and build a fantastic relationship with his coach, Darren Handley, who

tragically passed away at the end of last year. -- Darren Tandy. Darren

was like mental skills coach as well so that really helped James Ward.

This year having that happen has been extremely difficult and with a

few injuries he has not been able to play. On the Davis Cup scene he has

been fantastic over the last few years, always playing above himself.

The win against Isner from two sets down, somebody of his ranking you

would never imagine it. Talking about raising your level of play, he

took it to a whole new level. He did, that is what you want from a

Davis Cup player, some players who have higher rankings play good and

some who have lower way above the rankings. Hopefully this will be the

tie that will kick start him back to where he wants to be. He was in the

top 100 and looking good and it has been unlucky for all of the things

he has dealt with. He is good enough to get back again so it is one of

those things where he has to be a bit patient and this Davis Cup will

be a welcome break for him because if he can win a match or two who

knows what his Wang Qiang could be at the end of the year? -- his

ranking. It is a bit chicken and egg with James Ward because as his

ranking drops he has to play in the small tournaments. He plays above

himself in the big tournaments but he has to when the matches in the

day-to-day matches to get into those tournaments. -- he has to win. Even

Andre Agassi had to go back. No ball kids, changing the scoreboards

himself. I think he dropped to 140 in the ranking, it was admirable,

you are used to playing in front of thousands in the Davis Cup and you

are playing in front of about three people and it is tough, it is dog

eat dog in the challenges but he has come through before, he can do it

again. -- in the Challengers. If you go out 1-0 up, it is the different

ball game. It is raining still, I feel sorry for the poor students.

They are used to rein in Scotland but they wouldn't have been

expecting this in Belgrade. -- rain. It looks like the students have

given up, they have headed for cover. We were told the thunderstorm

would come through and it looks like that is the case so again we are

going to leave you on BBC Two, we will take a break, we are going on

and off a bit like the covers in Belgrade but hopefully we will have

more tennis view. Kyle Edmund, Britain's number one in this

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