First Round - Great Britain v Japan: Day 1

:00:09. > :00:15.Welcome to this historic occasion. I bet you never thought you would see

:00:16. > :00:21.the day again. Kyle Edmund, his Davis Cup debut. What a moment for

:00:22. > :00:26.him. Kyle Edmund, first set. Belgium back in it. It took two and three

:00:27. > :00:33.quarters hours but finally David Goffin seems to be enjoying himself.

:00:34. > :00:38.Match number two. It has undoubtedly been one of Andy Murray 's main

:00:39. > :00:46.priorities this year. He is a class above. It's all going to plan. One

:00:47. > :00:55.down, two to go. Win this match, win the Davis Cup. This time Jamie

:00:56. > :01:00.Murray takes the starring role. The Mahrez have edged to Great Britain

:01:01. > :01:11.closer. Andy Murray serving to David Goffin. That is just outstanding.

:01:12. > :01:17.One set away from more tennis history. So much of Andy Murray's

:01:18. > :01:22.dear dedicated to getting himself into this position to close it out.

:01:23. > :01:24.Great Britain have done it in the most spectacular style. The Davis

:01:25. > :01:37.Cup is on its way back in! We will never tire of reliving that

:01:38. > :01:42.victory in Belgium last year, a glorious day, and now just 96 days

:01:43. > :01:46.later the champions start their dependents and here in Birmingham

:01:47. > :01:53.the fans are out in force once more. -- their defence. One of the most

:01:54. > :01:57.iconic trophies in sport, it will be paraded around the country over the

:01:58. > :02:01.next year to hopefully inspire youngsters but also let all tennis

:02:02. > :02:08.fans feel part of the momentous victory. Japan first up for Liam

:02:09. > :02:15.Smith and his victorious team led by new father Andy Murray who faces the

:02:16. > :02:20.Japanese number two, Taro Daniel. Dan Evans in for the injured Kyle

:02:21. > :02:27.Edmund and in his hometown he faces the Japanese number one Kei

:02:28. > :02:30.Nishikori. We know Jamie Murray will be playing in the doubles but we

:02:31. > :02:38.don't know if he will partner his brother or Dominic Inglot. The

:02:39. > :02:44.players are in the tunnel and will be coming out in just a moment, I am

:02:45. > :02:48.high above the court here in Birmingham alongside John Lloyd and

:02:49. > :02:55.Andrew Castle as we see Taro Daniel, and nervous time for him. He doesn't

:02:56. > :03:00.have a lot of Davis Cup experience, even tennis experience. He is tall,

:03:01. > :03:07.raised in the Spanish system, he has earned his place in the top 100.

:03:08. > :03:10.Very solid, matches up horribly with Andy Murray, likes to construct his

:03:11. > :03:14.rallies, nice forehand and skips around. Possibly a big ordeal for

:03:15. > :03:39.him. Accompanied by his captain Leon

:03:40. > :03:44.Smith, representing Great Britain, please welcome Andy Murray!

:03:45. > :04:01.CHEERING APPLAUSE

:04:02. > :04:07.What a welcome for Britain's number one Andy Murray, although it was a

:04:08. > :04:12.team triumph last year it was a superhuman effort by this man

:04:13. > :04:20.winning all 11 of his live matches in the Davis Cup and what a journey

:04:21. > :04:22.also for Liam Smith. Four years ago Great Britain facing relegation into

:04:23. > :04:27.the deepest depths of this competition then just four years

:04:28. > :04:32.later becoming the champions. It has been remarkable, think about it, we

:04:33. > :04:37.are Davis Cup champions. Sometimes I pinch myself but a lot of it is down

:04:38. > :04:42.to Andy Murray. When you have someone as brilliant as he is and

:04:43. > :04:47.you can almost count on two wins in every match you play, he is keen to

:04:48. > :04:52.play every match again this year and why can't we go all the way again?

:04:53. > :05:01.When he is playing this well he can win two matches on his own and we

:05:02. > :05:10.have great doubles team as well. Winning all 11 live matches, no one

:05:11. > :05:14.has done that before. He has the most amazing appetite to play the

:05:15. > :05:18.Davis Cup, the team is built around him and when he said the other day

:05:19. > :05:21.he is looking to commit this year as well I was frankly astonished

:05:22. > :05:25.because it's such a busy year with the Olympics and the thing else but

:05:26. > :05:30.if he wants to play and is having a good time and if he stays here, the

:05:31. > :05:33.baby is here, it'd be fantastic if he has another fulltilt at it.

:05:34. > :05:39.Without him we cannot do it but we can with him. A lot has changed for

:05:40. > :05:43.him and that victory last year, he said it meant the most, he's won

:05:44. > :05:48.Grand Slams but a team effort for Great Britain meant so much. Just

:05:49. > :05:52.listen to the reception he is getting, he is popular throughout

:05:53. > :05:56.the world and when he comes out in the big slams he gets a big welcome

:05:57. > :06:01.but nothing like Davis Cup. You don't hear anything like this, Davis

:06:02. > :06:07.Cup is special and he realises that. He played brilliantly and I think he

:06:08. > :06:14.has the appetite, won one, why not again and again, why not? He is

:06:15. > :06:18.certainly capable. Imagine captaining against him, what are you

:06:19. > :06:22.supposed to do? If we need him to win three matches you will do it.

:06:23. > :06:28.Kei Nishikori will be a big demand but he comes here, everything else

:06:29. > :06:33.is wonderful in his life right now why not just enjoy this and commit?

:06:34. > :06:38.It has been 33 days since he played a match, I can't believe it has been

:06:39. > :06:43.96 days since we were in Belgium, where does the time go? If he gets

:06:44. > :06:51.the job done I am interested to see whether or not right after one for

:06:52. > :06:53.them, I am not sure about Serbia, Djokovic and Murray could play in

:06:54. > :06:59.the next round, the Davis Cup is wonderful. You're getting yourself

:07:00. > :07:05.ahead of it, a ball has not even been struck. Who are we playing

:07:06. > :07:09.next? A lot has changed for Andy Murray, reached the final in the

:07:10. > :07:13.story and open and became a father for the first time. Has not played

:07:14. > :07:19.for five weeks but let's hear how he is approaching this time.

:07:20. > :07:26.Congratulations on becoming a dad, is there anything in the last few

:07:27. > :07:29.weeks which has challenged you? Labour was surprisingly for me, it

:07:30. > :07:37.is tough but amazing at the same time. The reward at the end is great

:07:38. > :07:46.and I thought I had all in the world for Kim but even more after seeing

:07:47. > :07:51.that. Reflecting on what the Davis Cup team achieved last year? It will

:07:52. > :07:55.be one of the biggest achievements in all of our careers regardless of

:07:56. > :07:59.what we go on and do now but I would love to do it again. The important

:08:00. > :08:02.thing will be concentrating on this tie and getting through it because

:08:03. > :08:07.it will be tough but we have a chance and if we can get through it

:08:08. > :08:11.you never know what can happen. Last year you suggested that maybe in an

:08:12. > :08:16.Olympic year it would be tough to do both but have you changed your

:08:17. > :08:21.thoughts? It is not tough to commit to it but that period of the year

:08:22. > :08:26.with Wimbledon, the Davis Cup and the Olympics and the US Open, it is

:08:27. > :08:31.so condensed and compact and so many changes of service that it will be

:08:32. > :08:36.difficult. But the Davis Cup gave me a lot last year, I want to be part

:08:37. > :08:41.of this team as much as I can in the future hopefully we get through this

:08:42. > :08:49.tie and see what happens. But I will be playing if we are still involved,

:08:50. > :08:54.for sure. We will find out a fair bit about Andy Murray today, the

:08:55. > :08:59.five-week break, becoming a new dad, his whole life has changed, his

:09:00. > :09:05.whole perspective has changed. It is charming when a new father talks

:09:06. > :09:09.about his wife and a new family situation, he says he will go to

:09:10. > :09:14.Miami, they will go to Miami after this and travel with Sofia for the

:09:15. > :09:19.first time. He said I understand they are very portable at this age!

:09:20. > :09:24.You don't know much when you are a new dad but you learn quickly that

:09:25. > :09:28.it is good to be out on the tennis court doing what you are brilliant

:09:29. > :09:31.at and you have a new perspective. I think he'll have a great year

:09:32. > :09:36.because everything is nicely settled. He asked some of the

:09:37. > :09:39.players on the circuit to our dads what is the best piece of advice you

:09:40. > :09:46.could offer and they said get a nanny. And stay in the tournament as

:09:47. > :09:51.long as you can! It has worked for Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer,

:09:52. > :09:59.Djokovic in particular, his career has gone to new heights. It creates

:10:00. > :10:04.a good feeling, it puts things into perspective. If you do it the right

:10:05. > :10:08.way as Andy Will and you have a bit of help, I think he said he did not

:10:09. > :10:15.want a nanny and would do it on his own. He's happy, in a great place

:10:16. > :10:21.and I agree, I think you'll have a fabulous year. Five weeks away from

:10:22. > :10:28.playing, that is not something he has done before. Also, in some ways,

:10:29. > :10:31.we are the champions, we think this will be simple but news for

:10:32. > :10:35.everybody is that Kei Nishikori is number six in the world, the first

:10:36. > :10:39.top ten player Andy Murray has played in Davis Cup and he's a very

:10:40. > :10:43.good player, it could be a very tough match. Look at the crowd,

:10:44. > :10:47.these are the scenes, Britain has been lucky to have so many home ties

:10:48. > :10:52.and it is wonderful that it is here in Birmingham, the crowd getting

:10:53. > :10:59.involved. Let's go courtside and savour some of the atmosphere, Jamie

:11:00. > :11:05.Baker what is it like down there? What an amazing venue for the

:11:06. > :11:13.British homecoming, we have the Stirling University barmy Army, now

:11:14. > :11:18.world-famous Team GB supporters. To my left, we have the bench, the

:11:19. > :11:26.interesting thing at the end of last year, the support staff, Leon

:11:27. > :11:31.contacted them after winning the competition and it was an amazing

:11:32. > :11:34.journey and just wanted to gauge from everyone individually if they

:11:35. > :11:38.wanted to invest their time and everything into winning again this

:11:39. > :11:43.year and unsurprisingly every single person sat on the bench. Very

:11:44. > :11:48.special group he has. And what about Andy Murray, getting ready for his

:11:49. > :11:52.first match since the Australian Open. A lot of questions about if he

:11:53. > :11:57.will be rusty but he has been training very hard and I think this

:11:58. > :12:00.match comes at a great time. Couple of big Masters Series events coming

:12:01. > :12:06.up in America and he will want to be sharper those but I will hope... I

:12:07. > :12:09.relate hope the whole team really enjoys every part of the weekend

:12:10. > :12:17.because my goodness do they deserve it. They have gone quiet because

:12:18. > :12:22.play is about to get underway, a huge moment for Taro Daniel. He was

:12:23. > :12:28.born in New York and trains in Spain. Representing Japan. No easy

:12:29. > :12:35.matches in tennis, even though this guy is in the 80s in the rankings,

:12:36. > :12:40.he has got to start well. Had a tremendous start last season to

:12:41. > :12:45.qualify in Colombia, he knows what he's doing and in this match he will

:12:46. > :12:50.go for it. Nothing to lose. The big match will be the fifth rubber. This

:12:51. > :12:55.one he can open his shoulders and have but Andy Murray is obviously

:12:56. > :13:02.the clear favourite. Here we go, the first match in this Davis Cup tie

:13:03. > :13:06.against Japan. Here is Andrew Castle.

:13:07. > :13:12.COMMENTATOR:, Andy Murray opening up against Taro Daniel, the Japanese

:13:13. > :13:17.number two. CHEERING

:13:18. > :14:56.APPLAUSE Stirling University barmy Army back

:14:57. > :15:01.in action for the New Year and how welcome they are. And what a

:15:02. > :15:04.difference they can make, perhaps especially in the away ties when you

:15:05. > :15:08.really need the support. Back at home once again for Great Britain,

:15:09. > :15:16.three ties at home last year. The United States, Australia and France.

:15:17. > :15:27.All required to travel overseas to play. And of course the final in

:15:28. > :15:42.that memorable final, the only time GB were away.

:15:43. > :15:49.Taro Daniel the six foot three Japanese player who moved to Spain

:15:50. > :15:55.at the age of 13. His father on business. Moving from Japan to

:15:56. > :16:16.Spain. Could have been the making of him as a tennis player.

:16:17. > :16:23.And a real sign of nerves. He has played six points and lost them all,

:16:24. > :16:27.this is a vital service game for him.

:16:28. > :16:35.Since Andy Murray came back as a father for the first time to play he

:16:36. > :16:37.has not yet lost the point. It is going rather well! That one almost

:16:38. > :17:00.hit the baseline. That one wasn't far behind. This is

:17:01. > :17:04.a nervy one, John. Terrible start, cannot get rid of the nerves.

:17:05. > :17:39.Best-of-5 sets so luckily he has time, but, shaky.

:17:40. > :17:47.That is a way as well, perfect start for Andy Murray in Birmingham. Early

:17:48. > :17:56.break, stamping his authority on this Davis Cup tie straightaway.

:17:57. > :18:02.Andy was telling me he took two weeks off for the birth of Sophia to

:18:03. > :18:07.be with the family and start this next bit of his life, the next

:18:08. > 3:33:35chapter. Said he did not play for two weeks, the most he had not

3:33:36 > 1:30:49played since back surgery. Caught a couple late during his first

1:30:50 > 1:30:49played since back surgery. Caught a into the rhythm. I was watching him

1:30:50 > 1:30:49yesterday against Dan Evans, practised for about 45 minutes, did

1:30:50 > 1:30:49not miss many balls. Having said that neither did Dan Evans, he was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing extremely well. The Dan Evans backhand slice could be very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49important in this tie, we will talk about that, he is next, after this.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49CHEERING APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is the first point, I think that is the first point, I was about

1:30:50 > 1:30:49late, the stairs are quite narrow here, you have the watcher step

1:30:50 > 1:30:49getting into the commentary box, but I think that is the first point he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has lost. It is, thank you for that. Just a little too deep on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49forehand side. Definitely worth a challenge, I was going to say. An

1:30:50 > 1:30:49unusual Balter miss, high forehand top-spin crosscourt. -- and an usual

1:30:50 > 1:30:49ball to miss. I think you have two challenge in a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49timely manner, make it quick. But it's a bit of a grey area these

1:30:50 > 1:30:49days. Look at the coach and see if they agree. Have your starter and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49then maybe... That is good work from the Japanese

1:30:50 > 1:30:49number two. Firstly the challenge and now this, moved very well to it.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Wasn't a great drop shot. Will certainly help him settle.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That actually is probably the weakest part of Andy Murray's game,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the overhead. Don't see much of it these days in the modern game but he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49did not get far enough behind the ball and go after it and attack it,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it was like a lazy overhead. Did not reach up and got a bit cramped on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it. That is one of his weakest shot 's. Exactly the same with Novak

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Djokovic. They don't play many of those.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49In the previous point, even though he lost it, little things to follow

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with Andy Murray, towards the end of last season in particular he was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49definitely hitting his second serve harder. A few double faults because

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of it but I noticed he did one a couple points ago at 99 mph. You

1:30:50 > 1:30:49want to see that, especially in matches like this where he can get

1:30:50 > 1:30:49used to it. The big test is when he is playing against Novak Djokovic,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49say the fifth set, 30-30, 3-3, he goes for it and you can only do that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49by going for it again and again in these type of matches.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That, that was a ropey point. It was a five-week delay point I would say,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49five weeks not playing. Could have done anything with it and somehow

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hit it straight back to him, completely shacked to be easy volley

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and then the same thing there. That's got to be worth a look as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49well hasn't it? I just don't know why you wouldn't. It probably was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wide. At this time, it's a big point. We don't have any special

1:30:50 > 1:30:49access to it ourselves. Miles out! Why wouldn't you look at that? I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49agree. A grinding point to finish up with,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Taro Daniel is in for a bit of a mauling here by the looks of things.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Can you imagine that a worse matchup for Daniel, raised in Spain on clay,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49happy to construct the points, not a great serve, happy to use his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49mobility and he is playing Andy Murray in five sets on a slow indoor

1:30:50 > 1:30:49court. How does he put any balls away? He has to hope, he has started

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to be consistent, the first couple of games he was awful but in that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49last game he played much better and he has do hope that Andy Murray

1:30:50 > 1:30:49perhaps loses his patients a little bit. I can see it happening but it's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the only way. -- I cannot see it happening. What can he do to pull

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray of the baseline, to invent something to create some points? It

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is difficult to see right now. Happy to hear from you over the course of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the weekend, various ways to get in touch.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Life on the road very different for tennis players nowadays, in the old

1:30:50 > 1:30:49days when you were overseas you are miles away but now the whole world

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is connected with this social media business. Skype and all that.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49One thing about this Daniel, you have to give him credit for last

1:30:50 > 1:30:49year, winning the play-off match at 2-2 in Colombia to beat a good

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player and win the match with the Colombian crowd. He has got

1:30:50 > 1:30:49something. OK he started badly and was nervous but I think he will get

1:30:50 > 1:30:49back into this match, mentally at least. He's going to make Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray win it, he's not going to freeze. At the beginning I think he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was a bit taken back by the crowd, going up against the number two

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player in the world, it has taken him 15-20 minutes to adjust but now

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he's in this match a little bit. Trouble is I find myself in the gym

1:30:50 > 1:30:49accidentally the other day and Andy Murray was in there, it is a joke,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49physically, what Andy Murray is capable of. You go out there with

1:30:50 > 1:30:49these heavy balls on this court, five sets against Andy Murray?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Horrible. Horrible thought. We would not get a single point between us.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49If we played together we might get a couple. I don't think so! Maybe not.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Third double fault in his second service game and break points again.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The second serve, the double faults are purely and simply because he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sees Murray stepping in three or four feet on the second serve and if

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his serve is not the people, he will be on the run so it forces the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49double faults. -- is not deep. It was a nice thought, the big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49kick-serve out wide, Murray was wise to it. He smacked the return back

1:30:50 > 1:30:49nice and deep and it is two breaks. The last match Andy Murray played

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with the Australian Open final against Novak Djokovic and he made

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the point after that he played all right in the second and third set

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but the first set, he could have won them all but lost them all and found

1:30:50 > 1:30:49himself in a similar Riddick and that Daniel does now -- similar

1:30:50 > 1:30:49predicament. It is pretty good power as well with these heavy balls, 133

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is pretty good going. Sometimes on that volley he doesn't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49get his eyes close enough to the ball, he is a bit upright on the low

1:30:50 > 1:30:49volleys. It's not a bad idea with the ball

1:30:50 > 1:30:49beneath the height of the net to go behind your opponent, as a rule. If

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you are practising at club level, if you can hit the winner into the open

1:30:50 > 1:30:49court with your volley, do so, otherwise go back behind your

1:30:50 > 1:30:49opponent. APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is a tidy serve as welcome 136 mph, it is a toured a force so far

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for Andy Murray and Great Britain in defence of their Davis Cup title.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The Australians would always say that, Pat Cash was a great exponent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of going behind people with the first volley or a volley beneath the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49height of the net. You will often find that rule will pop up a lot,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you can make people change direction and then cover. The art of volley

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and is not something that the modern players need to learn in the same

1:30:50 > 1:30:49way that they used to. There is not as much emphasis on it when they are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49learning the game. I see it with young players, watching them, and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49volleying is almost an afterthought, so much practice is devoted to other

1:30:50 > 1:30:49things and volleying is something when you need it, you come in on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great shots and you can hit high volleys but one or two points can

1:30:50 > 1:30:49change a match and it is a pity that the technique is not there these

1:30:50 > 1:30:49days. There are very few great volleyers these days. I suppose

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Federer has to be considered the finest at the top of the game at the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49moment. I tell you who has great volleys, Radek Stepanek but he must

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be 75 years old these days! And the is good as well -- Andy.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is a super return, climbing all over that and smacking it down the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49middle and at the moment, the point count is quite interesting, 25 to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray and eight to Daniel. A relatively simple volley, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49approach wasn't good enough. But you have got to make that. The technique

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was not good, as he comes in, look how... His eyes are not level with

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the ball and he is too upright. I think he is on the board with a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game. A challenge but catching the outside edge. And the Japanese are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49off and running here in Birmingham with their first game.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He certainly hasn't got the rhythm on the drop shots yet, Murray, that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is the second that has landed by the service line and gave his opponent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and easy approach shot. -- and 27 minutes played, one-way traffic,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49really, in this set. And that one is up in the rafters of the Barclaycard

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Arena and it is the first set to Great Britain, 6-1. And the captain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of Japan has a bit of a job to do here to get anything out of this.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49They would have been expecting nothing with Andy Murray on court

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and that is likely to be what they get. The polyester suits are back! I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49am glad to say that it is not on the back of Jamie Baker because he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49deserves more than that. Let's see what he has to say and what he is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wearing. Taro Daniel is ranked 87 in the world, a very good tennis player

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but why is there such a difference between the players? Let's see if we

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can see the distance between the baseline and the line judge, it is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49big arena with a massive run back. If you think Andy Murray played 60

1:30:50 > 1:30:49or 70 matches a year on court like this, Tara Daniel does not, he might

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have played in a stadium this site a couple of times. He has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49practising here but with 9000 people in it looks a bit different. What it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49means is that with Andy Murray's movement technique, when Daniel is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49aggressive, the runs diagonally could and the net effect of that is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that Daniel feels like he has nowhere to go and he does not know

1:30:50 > 1:30:49how to win a point. And with the nerves, I can only say that I'm glad

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it isn't me that has to solve that problem! We would love to 's EU

1:30:50 > 1:30:49chasing around after it! It is a good point and well made about the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49size of the arena and how the big players who are used to this have a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49major advantage and often in the first set as the lesser player

1:30:50 > 1:30:49settles. Thank you, Jamie. That's just a little bit of rust

1:30:50 > 1:30:49showing, a great return of serve and a comfortable forehand and he just

1:30:50 > 1:30:49rotated a bit too soon and slapped that one wide. He just needs to play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a few more games and he will be back to his best but it takes a bit of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49time after five weeks. That is a better start for Taro

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Daniel and to back up what Jamie Baker was saying, he is a fine

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player, 23 years of age and at a career high ranking at the moment of

1:30:50 > 1:30:4987 in the world which is always an indication that a player is likely

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to be confident and dangerous. He is a big rock 'n' roll fan, loves Jimmy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Page, the Led Zeppelin guitarist. He has won a couple of rounds recently

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in Rio and in Montpellier. At the Australian Open heat loss to Lukas

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Rosol but has gone up to that career high -- he lost.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I love that play, good instincts from Murray. He sought his opponent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49stretching and make the instant decision, the ball is floated up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49high and you love hitting volleys from that height. There is the quick

1:30:50 > 1:30:49instinct and the height you want to hit them at. Once his serve had

1:30:50 > 1:30:49taken Daniel out wide, it was always likely that that sneak play was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49going to happen because he had his man off balance so it happens a shot

1:30:50 > 1:30:49or two earlier, likely patterns of play. Lovely.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Marie just getting his man off this huge playing arena -- Murray. Just

1:30:50 > 1:30:49bullying him and he is dominating the playing area and the movement

1:30:50 > 1:30:49around it at both ends. Agassi used to be the one, you could not shift

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him off the baseline. He would rather miss a half-volley than give

1:30:50 > 1:30:49an inch. You are right, Agassi's theory,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49particularly in five set matches, was to stand close to the baseline

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and not give your opponent any time to keep hitting them out wide and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49eventually you take the legs away from your opponent, even if it takes

1:30:50 > 1:30:49four or five sets, the legs go and your opponent has to start going for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49winners when they don't want to because they have nothing left in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the tank. That is what he did for his career but you have to be good

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to do it because you have to time it perfectly, paying half volleys from

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the baseline but I don't think I ever saw him take a step back.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I think in some ways in this match, it wouldn't do Murray any harm if he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49went a bit longer. The Nishikori match on the third day, you are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49talking about a way better opponent than the one he is playing now and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that will be a rough match. Now Daniel, from the first set, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is just changing his tactics a bit and becoming a bit more aggressive.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is not easy for someone who is a counterpuncher, but he knows he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can't afford to just stand back there and trade, he has to do

1:30:50 > 1:30:49something different, take a few risks and at the moment it is paying

1:30:50 > 1:30:49off. A good change in tactics. Very nice, the ball rearing up, a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49bit of top-spin. A nice kick-serve and another game for Daniel. It is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49going to be an interesting match later today, no doubt, the Japanese

1:30:50 > 1:30:49number one Kei Nishikori will go in as heavy favourite against Dan Evans

1:30:50 > 1:30:49who is a local man and get inspired in Davis Cup. And if Murray wins

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this match, Evans, he could not exactly seal the tie but he has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49beaten Nishikori before. For me that is the highlight of the day, it is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great to see Murray but watch Evans having a go at Nishikori might be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49interesting. I agree. At the press conference yesterday both Daniel and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori were talking about how Dan Evans is almost old-fashioned in how

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he plays, he brings out heavy slices and comes in when you don't expect

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him to, serve-volleys, he is something out of the norm. A lot of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49players these days play the same pattern but Dan Evans doesn't and he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49loves Davis Cup and I'm not sure that match will be as easy as people

1:30:50 > 1:30:49think for Nishikori. You would have to say, Nishikori, six in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world... Of course. The disadvantage for Dan Evans is that he is not a is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a prize to Nishikori who will want to knock his block of after what he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49did to him at the US Open! That is all coming up in this wonderful

1:30:50 > 1:30:49arena in Dan Evans' hometown. I think Murray has bluffed him into

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it! He was having a good look at that mark, right over it on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49half-volley on the backhand side. Nice work, Murray! You lose a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49challenge! Murray thought there was an out call

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in that rally and didn't even play it. He had a bit of a whip on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49half-volley and then off like a scalded cat on the next one.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is what you call a waste of a challenge, down 40-0, you have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49already lost one, even if he got that he would still lose the game

1:30:50 > 1:30:4940-0 anyway and he now only has one left. I am currently the worst line

1:30:50 > 1:30:49caller in the world which is why my reading glasses are getting stronger

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but you know when a ball is in or out when you are a professional and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you know when somebody has based you, you feel it. -- aced you.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is wide. At some point, Murray will want to get ahead and take a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49lead here so that is the frustration coming out now. It is all very well

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sitting here saying it is complete dominance but he hasn't got a break

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in this second set yet and that is frustrating for him.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49What do you think he is writing down? Every detail? I think he does

1:30:50 > 1:30:49every point but I don't understand that at all. You did this on that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point and this on that point, it's a bit of overkill, I think.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great Britain playing against Japan here in the Davis Cup first round,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the first time they have played since 1931. 1921 was the inaugural

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Japanese entry into the Davis Cup. They made the final that year, I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will have to consult my record books again. In Kei Nishikori they have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49got a magnificent player and both Daniel and Nishikori, with American

1:30:50 > 1:30:49connections. This young man has dual nationality and two passports. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49chooses to represent Japan. I don't know if there is a commercial

1:30:50 > 1:30:49imperative there, but he will not get in the American team. No. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49United States are playing against Australia. Lleyton Hewitt, who is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the captain, may put himself in in the doubles because there has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49an injury because Sam Groth might not be able to play all three

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matches and there is a chance he might come out of retirement. What a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49story that would be. I'm the captain and I'm picking myself, are you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49going to argue? Two of the teams that Andy Murray

1:30:50 > 1:30:49led Great Britain to defeat. That's good work. What point, much

1:30:50 > 1:30:49more aggressive tennis now. There is real attack coming from the Daniel

1:30:50 > 1:30:49racket now. Pleasing to watch for his captain. And the rest of us as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49well, this is certainly an match in the second set.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Andy Murray leading Great Britain over the United States and Australia

1:30:50 > 1:30:49last year, they are playing each other in the first round, career is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the other captain -- Super return and there is the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49breakthrough in the second set. To make it 4-3.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49You could see their Daniel just late on a few points, got a pretty big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49axe swing and Murray with a couple of penetrating backhands right at

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Daniel forehand, who could then late. Betty good game from Murray,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just stepped up when he needed to. -- very good game. World number two,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49first achieved that in 2009 right after making the Wimbledon semifinal

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for the first time and got out fought by Andy Roddick who played

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one of the matches of his career that day. But talking about

1:30:50 > 1:30:49experience, 558 match victories, winner at Wimbledon, the Davis Cup,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the US Open, runner-up so many times that they are still yet open. A

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pretty big task for Daniel here -- at the US Open. -- runner-up so many

1:30:50 > 1:30:49times at the Australian Open. Fairly routine so far. Davis Cup

1:30:50 > 1:30:49first-round action. Got that one right. Timed it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49perfectly. Shaped as if he was going to go after it then just dropped his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49racket on it didn't he? Improvised well, was using that a lot in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49practice yesterday with Dan Evans who was also drop shotting a lot.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49With this surface, the ball does die a little. It does.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49If you can get to the net and not be passed it is nice to volley on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49because they will stay low if you hit them well. The doubles will be a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49highlight tomorrow. In a match like this, this is a free

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game and he will want to make Daniel work very hard so he will be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49exhausted even if he has to come out and serve for it at 5-4.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Taken this second serve so early, Murray, gets in, three, four feet,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49short backswing and right away his opponent is under pressure. Puts

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pressure on the second serve to go deeper.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49About six feet inside when he hit that one. Practising his doubles

1:30:50 > 1:30:49return! Split step, a good, what, yard

1:30:50 > 1:30:49inside the baseline? That is all Daniel needs. Murray

1:30:50 > 1:30:49takes another ball on the rise, on the return, the second set has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49followed the first. In terms of Great Britain picking it up. Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray in complete control of this one. Davis Cup first-round match. In

1:30:50 > 1:30:49defence of the title they won in Belgium at the end of last year.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Let's go courtside once again and see what Jamie Baker has for us.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49First match as champions, has it been any different this week? We

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just made a big thing at the start of the week to carry on from where

1:30:50 > 1:30:49we left off which was so key with the whole team spirit. Racked this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has been the same and we have just kept right on it from the moment we

1:30:50 > 1:30:49arrived. How has Andy Bean, not played for a month and has slightly

1:30:50 > 1:30:49different priorities now? He had a couple of weeks where he had

1:30:50 > 1:30:49practice on the court but did not play many points, the first couple

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of days it was vital he got sets under his belt in terms of practice

1:30:50 > 1:30:49which I think has helped him as the week has gone on. Next match looking

1:30:50 > 1:30:49ahead presuming Andy wins this? It will be tough, I think if he plays

1:30:50 > 1:30:49smart and tactically we'll see what happens. Tough match last week, have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you recovered? Yes, as you know I lost to use excite and three, 6-4,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but I wish I had arranged it fraught after practice this week! -- I lost

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to you 6-3, 6-4, but I wish I had arranged it for after tractors this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49week. Jamie must have had quite an average

1:30:50 > 1:30:49day! Felt sorry for him. If you are wondering where these

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matches are being played, it is the all England internal club

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Championships, it is your average club championship at the calibre of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player, it is brutal. Jeremy Bates still chipping it around and making

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it difficult for the youngsters. You are too busy sunning yourself in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Florida to clear! -- to care. Have you been hanging out with Donald

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Trump over there? I have seen him a bit. A lot of security guards

1:30:50 > 1:30:49around, I can tell you that much. It is not good with my metal knees

1:30:50 > 1:30:49going through the detector, they get a bit worried when they see me

1:30:50 > 1:30:49coming. If there is one area which does look

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a little rusty today in an otherwise polished performance, it is the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve, part of it is concentration but it is also the most technical

1:30:50 > 1:30:49part of the game so is the thing which is most likely to take time to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49readjust after time off. Let's explore that, you and Donald

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Trump, how do you know him, do you live nearby? I live in the cheap

1:30:50 > 1:30:49places and he lives in the expensive places but sometimes I get invited

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to his golf club and see him around. He is very colourful. Is he a tennis

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player? I played against him many years ago and he is OK. He is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49better golfer, he's got a very good caddie. He is a good player, I think

1:30:50 > 1:30:49around six handicap. But that will change if he keeps doing too much

1:30:50 > 1:30:49work, he won't be on the golf course match.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is lovely. It really is. So aggressive, attacks the second serve

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and so quick. That is really want to play the volley, so close to the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49net. Spin on the ball makes it did when it hits the court. Lovely first

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point. -- makes it die. Surprised he did not challenge that one, it was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49very close. Andy Murray just having a good look at the mark.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans and Kei Nishikori will have noted what is happening here

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and I would have thought they will think they will be on the court in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the next half an hour at most, maybe 40 minutes.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is... That is not good for Daniel. One of his best serves and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it comes back at him like that. It is jamming. That is the way to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49improvise, shorten the swing, somehow got the racket away from his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49body and then hit it about 100 miles down the line for a clean winner.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Only about a 15 or 20 minute passage of play that has been of great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49encouragement to Taro Daniel, that was at the beginning of the second

1:30:50 > 1:30:49set. First serve has been excellent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49today, it is just the second which she has to clear up a little bit.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Which he will. But nice Piedt on the first, a lot of power. -- rhythm.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Quite a return to the Davis Cup. If you lose in the first round of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Davis Cup, if you can explain, it puts you in a horrible position

1:30:50 > 1:30:49because you go into a play-off to see if you retain your position and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that takes place after the US Open in September so you have to get to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the first-round match in matter what happens otherwise you are in real

1:30:50 > 1:30:49jeopardy. Exactly, it is nastier when you have to play that match to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49stay up. Coming up against a hungry team which has perhaps come up, has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49come up from group one and are eager to take your place and it's not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49easy. This is a vital match for many different reasons. It is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49mouthwatering to think, again we shouldn't look too far ahead, but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49what the heck I am going to, to play possibly Serbia in Serbia. Djokovic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray, finals of Wimbledon the week before and then could be playing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49each other in Serbia. You have to look at these things, it is fun to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49imagine even if it might not happen. Serbia are playing Kazakhstan who

1:30:50 > 1:30:49are pretty handy themselves actually. That is in Belgrade.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Just haven't seen that enough times from Daniel, being able to get Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray on the run. Murray is the one who has been dictating play.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Interesting shot selection here from Murray, this drop shot, unusual but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a nice feel. We spoke about the 11 match winning

1:30:50 > 1:30:49streak for Andy Murray as we look at this challenge, someone else who is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on a streak is the Japanese number one who is coming up after this,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori has not lost in the Davis Cup since 2012. Lost to you for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the umpire did not see a gap between ball and line and overruled the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49first serve himself, no need for Hawk-Eye. Nice.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49We will see, you are not going to win this match most likely but he's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a nice player, does not look to me like a top 50 player particularly.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Could get there, I suppose, top 30, I don't know.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He once won 100 matches in a season on futures and popping into

1:30:50 > 1:30:49challengers as well. And the Spanish regional events which are from the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hardest school in the world. 100 matches in one year. That is a lot.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Yes, you don't do that two years in a row, generally.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Hopefully no damage done here. You can see why when he says he likes to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49construct the points, Daniel, he certainly does.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Happy to stay at the back of the court and wait for his opportunity.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is what playing on the slow surfaces, playing on clay, playing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in Spain gives you. Asked Murray, he came through the same system.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Get the right technical help, play an million matches against good

1:30:50 > 1:30:49players and funnily enough you turn out OK! CHUCKLES

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Daniel rarely will feel he should have won that point, Murray stayed

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in it after putting up that short overhead which should have been put

1:30:50 > 1:30:49away. Murray did well to hang in it. When you think how timid Daniel came

1:30:50 > 1:30:49out in this match and how nervous he looked, hasn't he settled well? He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is expressing himself on court and he is certainly fit enough. If you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can give Murray the runaround, you are doing something right

1:30:50 > 1:30:49physically. Very nice. Murray going for the drop

1:30:50 > 1:30:49shot quite early. He doesn't fancy going toe to toe on some of these

1:30:50 > 1:30:49rallies at the moment. I'm not sure he wasn't a bit winded after that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49last rally but that is about the third or fourth time he has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49drop shot it back after hitting the drop shot -- drop

1:30:50 > 1:30:49. It is superb technique, you just play it like it's a little volley.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Yet to break serve in this match, Murray has broken five times.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49APPLAUSE He had to work for it but nicely

1:30:50 > 1:30:49held, 4-1, break points saved. Dan Evans playing Kei Nishikori

1:30:50 > 1:30:49later will be quite something to watch, especially if Evans can get a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49foothold in the match against the world number six. It is a great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis town, the Davis Cup ties here with Henman and Rusedski were superb

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and always well supported and don't forget that the Agen classic takes

1:30:50 > 1:30:49place here as well, the women's event which always is a fantastic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49draw. The Edgbaston Priory has undergone a huge redevelopment and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is one of the most welcoming clubs in Britain. A new Centre Court

1:30:50 > 1:30:49facility, high-performance centre, the whole thing. And the chairman of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that club, who has not been in the best of health, Mickey, we just want

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to say a big hello. The winner of this tie will play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Serbia or Kazakhstan Open if it is Serbia behind Djokovic, that will be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in Serbia. That would be an interesting match, if both number

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one is played, that could be a classic. -- number ones.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He has certainly used that tactic well today, attacking the second

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve and coming in behind it and he has improved it a lot. He did it a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49lot last year as well and it is an important part of the game to put

1:30:50 > 1:30:49your opponent under pressure right from the first strike, don't give

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him time to breeze. -- breath. This could be interesting, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49umpire is going to give this point to Daniel. Murray is thinking that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he heard the call before he hit the ball. I think if this match had been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49close, I think Murray would have spent a lot more time arguing that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49decision. That is a way. He had his man beaten.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Wide. And it is another break, it is 5-1, Murray closing in on victory

1:30:50 > 1:30:49here in Davis Cup and how many times have we said that? There was a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49question about whether he would play this year and it was a delight to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hear that he would. I thought after a winning effort last year that it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49might be it for him for a while, given the schedule demands of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49potentially four Davis Cup matches plus the Olympics in Rio this year

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but it is great to see him back. The first served today has been very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49good indeed, a lot of pace, regularly in the 130s. Good rhythm.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That second serve was almost in between a kick and a slice, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49didn't really commit to it, it was weird, the kind of pushed at it. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has to work on that but it has definitely improved, at least at the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49end of last season. Taro Daniel here may yet play a very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49important part in this tie, a fifth and deciding match on Sunday with

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this one almost certainly going to Andy Murray who has match point. And

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he closes it out in some style, a spectacular game, Great Britain 1-0

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Japan in defence of the Davis Cup. A nice symmetry to the timing,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one-hour and 30 minutes, just an hour and a half of work as Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray gets that on court after the Australian Open final and of course

1:30:50 > 1:30:49becoming a dad. Good work. Yes, well caught in the front row

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and that one just felt a bit short and there is a lady risking it! She

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has got it. Andy Murray, 1-0, good job says Leon Smith, the captain,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49who will come out again in a moment with the British number two, Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans in a very interesting match against world number six Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori, a genuine star of world tennis. But Dan Evans in front of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his home fans can get very inspired and he will like this court as we

1:30:50 > 1:30:49take a look at some of the numbers from the first match. Probably a few

1:30:50 > 1:30:49too many double faults for Andy Murray but he broke, not at will but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49plenty of times and didn't offer up any breaks at all to his Japanese

1:30:50 > 1:30:49counterpart who made too many unforced errors. It is a victory for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Andy Murray on his return to the court. Will he play doubles? Who

1:30:50 > 1:30:49knows? It is 1-0 Great Britain. We can talk to Andy Murray now.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Congratulations, a fantastic start, but tell us firstly how did it feel

1:30:50 > 1:30:49walking out onto this quarter for the first time as defending Davis

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Cup champions? It was amazing, unbelievable support today, thank

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you very much, it was packed from the beginning and it is always great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to play in front of a full house. APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And of course the first time we have seen you on court since the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Australian Open final and the first time as a new dad. There must be a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49lot of mixed emotions and special times? Yes, the last few weeks have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49been the best of my life. It has been really special. It has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tough in the last few days being away from her for the first time.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Not easy, but it had to happen at some stage. It is a pleasure to come

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and represent my country and be with my team-mates again. It's great. And

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just talk about the match today, you had a bit of extra time,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49understandably, with everything going on but how did you feel you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49were hitting the ball? Your opponent got a bit more comfortable, how did

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you adapt? The second and third sets were tough with a lot of close games

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and tough points which was good for me because I haven't played for a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49long time. I was getting a bit out of breath but that was good. Never!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49But I thought I played a good match, I served well, missed a few second

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve in the middle of the second set and third set but the first

1:30:50 > 1:30:49served work extremely well and I moved good so it was a nice start.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And give us your thoughts on the next match, Dan coming out here

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against Kei Nishikori who you know very well. What is your feeling on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that? It is obviously tough for Dan but they have played once before and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan won that one at the US Open. APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That will help him and give him a bit of extra belief and he is from

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Birmingham, this is his hometown... CHEERING

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It will be great if everybody can get right behind him from the start,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he will love it and it will be a match he will remember for ever so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49try to make it as special as you can for him and he will do great. Well

1:30:50 > 1:30:49done again, Andy Murray, ladies and gentlemen! CHEERING

1:30:50 > 1:30:49STUDIO: Andy has asked the fans to support Dan Evans and they will be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there as Andy takes his place on the bench, new lights to be very vocal

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on the side of the court. He carried on from where he left off last year,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49another victory for Great Britain and too much pace and consistency

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and serving so well against his younger opponent. Great Britain are

1:30:50 > 1:30:491-0 up in the tie and Andy Murray, who won 11 live Davis Cup matches,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is through in straight sets today against Taro Daniel. 1-0 up and it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is now Dan Evans against Kei Nishikori, such a talented player

1:30:50 > 1:30:49who has risen to number six in the world rankings. That is the second

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match today and the double takes place tomorrow. And thinking of that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49doubles, he did not get too tired so I think Leon will be asking him to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49do that. You have to ask the question of the number two in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world if he will play but I actually don't think he will. I think he will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49put in Dom Inglot and Jamie, they will still be big favourites against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Japanese pair. Dominic hasn't played since the USA tie last year

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and has given a lot of support. But if Andy says he wants to play, there

1:30:50 > 1:30:49isn't really a discussion! And he was used to good in all that every

1:30:50 > 1:30:49department today. You could see at the beginning, Daniel, what does he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have, how can he beat Andy Murray? He is a counterpuncher up against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49someone who is three times better than him at doing that. He was more

1:30:50 > 1:30:49aggressive in the second set and tried for a few more winners but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there was only one winner and Murray was superb. His second serve was not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great, a few too many drop shots and the touch wasn't quite there but for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his first match after such a long time he was pretty good. We wondered

1:30:50 > 1:30:49how he would play and he was a little rusty at times. It was those

1:30:50 > 1:30:49little feel shops, the second serve, a bit more spin, his half volleys

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and pop shots that are normally so good -- drop shots. He was just a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49bit off but you expect that. There was one point early on when he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49mis-hit volley and a drop shot, something you are not used to seeing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49from him. It is understandable, he did not play for two weeks and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing matches is very different to practice. Exactly and the boys were

1:30:50 > 1:30:49saying, when he came up here, the first couple of days he was playing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49points and not playing very well and getting frustrated but it takes time

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and this match will do in the world of good and then it is a question of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49if he plays. I agree with Jamie, I don't think he will play doubles. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49looks good but he will have to go up a big level to beat Nishikori. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will not be allowed to get away with some of this against Nishikori who

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he has had some real battles with. That was the slight challenge for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him today, having not played for a month, and against someone where

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there is such a massive difference in class, you have to fight to keep

1:30:50 > 1:30:49your concentration. He will be thinking ahead to that match on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Sunday with Nishikori. The loose points will be taken advantage of by

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori if they happen. You look at Marie and he has such an credible

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game. Such a good Australian Open -- Murray. The says he still wants to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49play on, for another six or seven years and it is great that someone

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is enjoying it so much still. Champions keep wanting to win, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has to macro Grand Slams and I think he feels that he could win more and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49why not? You look at the top players, Novak Djokovic is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49outstanding but the level just below him, Rafael Nadal does not seem to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be coming through, Roger Federer has had a few injuries and has dropped a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49bit. They are all threats but Andy Murray will fancy his chances this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49year of being number two and having a chance at number one and I think

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he thinks he can win more Grand Slams. Djokovic has raised the bar

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but Murray says he enjoys the matches and the training. Andrew

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Castle said he was in the gym with him and he trained so hard. Since he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was 16 or 17 he stepped up the commitment in that area and his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49whole body and physicality changed. I hope he can keep going for six or

1:30:50 > 1:30:49seven years but I think because of his style and how hard he trains, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49might have to temper that a bit and not train as much and just be a bit

1:30:50 > 1:30:49more savvy around how much he does but Federer has done that so there

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is no reason Andy can't. It is a good start for Great Britain. All of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the world group matches are taking place in the next three days. If

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great Britain win and Serbia win, that would be the quarter final

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match and possibly Murray against Djokovic. Djokovic is Goode up in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his opening match against the havoc star number two, Nedovyesov.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Australia are 1-1 in their match. Bernard Tomic defeated Jack Sock.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is being played on the grass at Kooyong. You look at the home ties

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and they are mostly in Europe apart from France who are playing in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Guadeloupe, said it was too cold to play outdoors in France. And what a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49team he has, Tsonga and Gasquet are not in the singles because he has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49put in Simon and Monfils. We will keep you up-to-date with how things

1:30:50 > 1:30:49progress in the next few days. It is lovely when the top players come, no

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Wawrinka or Federer for Switzerland but it is great that Djokovic is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49back after the eye infection he had. He said he was ready to play and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49back in a Davis Cup. It is what you want, the Davis Cup is the ultimate

1:30:50 > 1:30:49team competition in tennis and you want your top players playing and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49when you have Djokovic and Murray committing this year, we all want to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49see that. We don't want to see players not playing and I am glad

1:30:50 > 1:30:49they have committed. I know we should not look ahead but I am,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49possibly Serbia, and it is mouthwatering to think we could have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this at between the number one and two, after Wimbledon, playing again.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49This is what Davis Cup brings, the possibilities are out there. When

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray won that memorable point, to win the Davis Cup, Novak Djokovic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was one of the first to Tweet, saying he remembered what it meant

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to him to win and he really deserved it. I wonder if that reignited his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fire because this is an individual sport but being part of the team

1:30:50 > 1:30:49seems to be so important to the top players. And when Novak won it, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49final in Belgrade, and he went on to have his first unbelievable year

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with three Grand Slams, it obviously did something for him and hopefully

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it is the same for Andy will stop that last point to win the Davis

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Cup, we will remember that, his signature shot, it was tremendous.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is the achievement throughout the year, not just the singles matches

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but doubles with his brother, all the emotional effort and tough

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matches which he came through every time also it was like everything

1:30:50 > 1:30:49came together at once. He is now talking about doing it again and it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49would be amazing and what an achievement it would be. Absolutely.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The doubles is tomorrow but there is plenty of sport on the BBC and later

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this evening after us at 7pm you can join Clare Balding for the world

1:30:50 > 1:30:49track cycling. It was a wonderful night for Laura Trott last night,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will there be more gold medals tonight? I mentioned the doubles, we

1:30:50 > 1:30:49know that Jamie Murray will be playing for Great Britain but will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it be Dom Inglot or Andy Murray? That is 2pm on BBC One tomorrow.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I was reading about Judy Murray, she talked about 2002 when she packed up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a minibus with her two sons and their coach at the time, Liam Smith,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and came down to this arena to watch Great Britain played Sweden -- Liam

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Smith. -- Leon Smith. We will hear from him in a moment but first let's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49relive the journey of last year which all started against the United

1:30:50 > 1:30:49States in Glasgow. Andy Murray plays on home soil for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the first time since 2011. The return of Andy Murray has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49triumphant. James Ward brings Glasgow to its feet! Triumph for the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great Britain Davis Cup team, the Americans are beaten.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is must win for Great Britain and Andy Murray. Murray is one set up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against Tsonga. He is all over him like a rash. Tsonga looking down the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49barrel. That it! Andy Murray makes it 1-1 at the end of day one. A big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49atmosphere for the doubles. Some magic! The winning blow delivered by

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie Murray! The first set to France. Unbelievable character!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great Britain are in the Davis Cup semifinal!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Here we go, the semifinal of the Davis Cup. Stunning start for Great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Britain and Andy Murray, yet put them in the driving seat. Absolutely

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pivotal doubles. We are going five sets here in Glasgow. The Murray:

1:30:50 > 1:30:49macro win, 2-1 Great Britain! It is set to Great Britain. Great Britain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49are one set away. Great Britain are in the Davis Cup final! On your

1:30:50 > 1:30:49mental effort! -- a monumental effort. Welcome to this historic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49occasion. One down, two to go, stepping up for his country again.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The Murray brothers have won and they have inched Great Britain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49closer. The two number one is squaring off. One set away from more

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis history. Great Britain have done it in the most spectacular

1:30:50 > 1:30:49style! The Davis Cup is on its way back. Now you had three months to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49get used to being Davis Cup champions, what does it mean to you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and the team? Obviously very proud, it was not long ago so it is still

1:30:50 > 1:30:49quite fresh in the memory although a lot has happened since then. It will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49never go away, what we achieved, after 79 years of waiting, to win

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the title was an incredible effort from the team. Just so much pride

1:30:50 > 1:30:49around it but the nature of the competition, we had to turn our

1:30:50 > 1:30:49attention to this tie. If we don't get through this, you face a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49relegation match in September and that is a whole different feeling to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49what we had three months ago so it was about preparing and resetting

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and focusing on this match. Do you think there is the same ambition and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49desire and drive among the team to do it again? We talked about it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49quite a bit as a team. With this competition, including Andy, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49players play the best competitions every week and you don't get the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sort of atmosphere as at a Davis Cup tie. We have 9000 found it getting

1:30:50 > 1:30:49behind the team and the individual who is on court and you can't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49replicate that anywhere else. The motivational side, you want to go

1:30:50 > 1:30:49again and repeat, absolutely. Why have you chosen Dan Evans and how

1:30:50 > 1:30:49effective can he beat at home on this surface? It is a shame for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kyle, he is a great place and has great firepower to hurt opponents

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but he picked up an injury, we tried to let it settle down on Wednesday

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but it wasn't enough to risk going into a five set match when something

1:30:50 > 1:30:49worse could happen to putting out for longer and we have someone like

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan who can come into the team. He has played a lot of Davis Cup,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49winning matches, in front of a home crowd he will be full of energy he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is playing well commonly plays well in doors and hopefully we can help

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him put on a good performance. And that is the match we are waiting

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for, Dan Evans versus Kei Nishikori. What is so special about Liam Smith,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49why is he such a good captain? When he came back he had a lot to prove

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to himself, right from the start, every person who became involved in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it, he got them all together and got everyone 100% into it. You could

1:30:50 > 1:30:49dissect his four or five years and lots of different things but the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49most important thing by Myles was creating a team where Andy Murray

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wanted to play. Because no matter how good the captain or the team

1:30:50 > 1:30:49spirit is without him it wouldn't have happened. That me is the number

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one thing, we don't need to go to the numbers, Andy Murray was heroic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and every match. Britain is a proud tennis nation once again, there was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a lot of talk about the legacy and what needs to change, what would you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49like to see happen? So many things, Andy being the player he is, if you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49don't capitalise on him and the Davis Cup there is problems. We

1:30:50 > 1:30:49should get more people in this game at grass roots, more people picking

1:30:50 > 1:30:49up the sport. People are trying but for me it seems like we just don't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have the numbers we should and I don't know enough, I don't live here

1:30:50 > 1:30:49any more so I am not involved in that side of it. But it's such a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great sport and again for life and when you have a champion like Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray this sport should be played more in this country and we should

1:30:50 > 1:30:49get repeat customers. If he cannot inspired us nobody can. I hear

1:30:50 > 1:30:49things are getting a bit better now but for me it has to be quicker.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's about participation but also about recognising talented junctures

1:30:50 > 1:30:49as well. Having the people to be able to do that. -- talented

1:30:50 > 1:30:49youngsters. There are people we need to target, parents and grandparents

1:30:50 > 1:30:49because they will get the next generation into the game. We need

1:30:50 > 1:30:49them to have tennis club near to them where they want to go and spend

1:30:50 > 1:30:49time and can take their children. Not specifically for coaching or a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match but just to be at a tennis club. I was born into a house 100

1:30:50 > 1:30:49yard from the tennis club, after school I would go from 4pm till 8pm

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and come home and go to bid. There were kids there were whole time,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49parents would leave their kids there, in the evenings only the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49adults were allowed to play so any time the adults came off for ten

1:30:50 > 1:30:49minutes we would run on to court and they would kick as off. That is what

1:30:50 > 1:30:49we need but that is the job of everyone within British tennis, and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the punters out here watching it, to grow the game and keep everything

1:30:50 > 1:30:49alive we need to create those types of atmosphere where people are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49motivated to be around the sport. Parents played a big part in our

1:30:50 > 1:30:49career, there cannot be a bigger motivation than seeing this trophy,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49they are parading it around the country, it is going around, it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49started in Scotland. This week it has been at the West Warwickshire

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis club, the home club of that man, Dan Evans. Great to see the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49kids involved in getting to play and this is where it all starts, short

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis. Getting those faces, getting people enjoying it. Yes, instead of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49all youngsters picking up football and rugby we have to get them

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing tennis. This sort of thing inspires them, they see the trophy,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that we are champions of the world and you have someone like Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray who is a hero to emulate. We have to get the parents out there

1:30:50 > 1:30:49encouraging the children and get them taking up the sport from an

1:30:50 > 1:30:49early age. The little tennis you can play, short tennis, it is a lot of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fun. People always think it is technical and difficult and the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49rackets are too big but it doesn't have to be like that for kids. It is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49enjoyable for them to get involved. Yes, people take up sport because it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is good fun and if you are, I feel lucky and privileged to be able to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49take a sport I was playing and have it as a job and that is a privileged

1:30:50 > 1:30:49position to be but you don't need to be making that decision at eight

1:30:50 > 1:30:49years old. How can you sit here and tell me that at eight years old that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49kid does not have the capabilities to be a tennis player, you can do

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it. And they did not go to Spain until he was 15, -- Andy did not.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Let's not identify those kids at a very young age and stop them

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing, let them have fun. They don't have too make the decision at

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that young an age. After winning the Davis Cup it was said it was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pointless to listen to the LTA, and that is beginning to happen, that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49changes are coming. But no British boys qualified for the junior Grand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Slams last year, we still need to have good players coming through. We

1:30:50 > 1:30:49talk about participation but where is the next generation? It is quite

1:30:50 > 1:30:49frankly a bit worrying because when you have someone like Andy Murray

1:30:50 > 1:30:49who comes around once in a blue moon and hopefully has a few more years

1:30:50 > 1:30:49left, but what is the future behind him? If you don't have other stars

1:30:50 > 1:30:49coming through will we lose our interest, will the public lose

1:30:50 > 1:30:49interest? We have to get this speeding through a lot better than

1:30:50 > 1:30:49we have in the past. We don't have enough juniors at a good level and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49don't seem to be able to make the breakthrough into senior level and I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49think we have to look at the coaches in that respect. You look at other

1:30:50 > 1:30:49clubs and training centres around the world, America, Spain, so long

1:30:50 > 1:30:49as you get the players up to a certain level like Taro Daniel, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49plays in Spain, Jo Konta plays in Spain, Andy Murray went to Spain, it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49does not always need to be in this country, sometimes you need a warmer

1:30:50 > 1:30:49climate. That is a good point, there is a lot of talk in this country

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that if British players are not training in this country they are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49not part of the system but like you say it doesn't matter. They lived

1:30:50 > 1:30:49here when they were kids and started here but at 14 or 15 if you decide

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the best thing for me is identifying a coach in America I want to work

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with and I want to play on clay, then you are not doing that in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Birmingham, you just can't do it. We are about to introduce the players

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for the next match, here comes Kei Nishikori. Please welcome Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori! CHEERING APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Such a talented player, the world number six, quite a task for Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans. Representing Great Britain, Dan Evans!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49CHEERING APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Certainly looking very relaxed as he steps onto court, the local boy from

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Solihull playing here in Birmingham. Was not sure she would get the nod,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it would have gone to Kyle Edmund but he got a back injury and Leon

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Smith did not want to risk him. He's won a couple of big Davis Cup

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matches in the past, twice winning in the fifth and final rubber so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49plenty of experience with him. How can he do against Kei Nishikori?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Let's hear how he is approaching this match. Another Davis Cup winner

1:30:50 > 1:30:49takes a seat in front of me, how has life been since, a few trophy tours?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Have things changed? Not really, I did one trophy to but I liked Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49take the plaudits because he did a lot. Has it done a lot for you in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49individual tournaments as well? I only played one match but just

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing Davis Cup gives me confidence, being around the guys,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49working together. He has got it! Can you believe that, look at him. Did

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you think this week you had a decent chance of playing? Yeah, I thought

1:30:50 > 1:30:49maybe not Friday but definitely Sunday. I'll restart I had a chance.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I will be playing Friday now and am looking forward to it. Playing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49someone you have beaten before in the US Open in 2013, presumably can

1:30:50 > 1:30:49take strength from that? Yes and no, it was a long time ago now. I have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to put it to the back of my head and go in tomorrow as a new match and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49keep trying to win tomorrow and nothing else. Tell us about this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great city and what sort of atmosphere your home city fans will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49provide? I have been saying for ages we should hold one in Birmingham but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49no one was listening. It will be loud, for sure. The crowds are ready

1:30:50 > 1:30:49good in most sport, the cricket, when the Ashes are here it is great.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I am looking forward to seeing how loud it gets. He is certainly ready

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for it, didn't sound too enthusiastic but he really is. He's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a very different sort of player, he plays shots other players don't. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Japanese players in the press conference described him as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49old-fashioned in how he plays, slices, coming in when you don't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49expect, mixes it up and they have respect for that. He is very low key

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but he embraces the Davis Cup. He got stuck in very young, lost a few

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matches in tough conditions but he has grown with this competition and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I think he loves this kind of atmosphere and would love it if it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49came down to the fifth match as well. He plays above himself and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that is what you want, when you pick a player you want them to embrace

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the situation and not get too nervous. He will be tight but he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will do well I think. He is a big match player, loves the big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49occasion, the bigger the crowd the better he plays. He does, he will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49love being here in front of all his friends and his family, his last six

1:30:50 > 1:30:49months, for most of the Davis Cup run last year she was in this moment

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of abyss where he disappeared. But last year at Wimbledon he was 750

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and now he is 150, an amazing six months. The thing which causes

1:30:50 > 1:30:49people difficulty with him is his variety. He has the slice, he can

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sit back, but he also has deceptive power on the ground strokes and he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49gives you the feeling of not being sure what is coming next and taking

1:30:50 > 1:30:49away the time. Nishikori is obviously a class above but who

1:30:50 > 1:30:49knows in the Davis Cup, he has had some big scalps. Always mind games,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49they have been loving reminding Kei Nishikori about the loss in 2013 but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he is a different player than he was then as well. He pointed that out

1:30:50 > 1:30:49right away. He said times have changed. He is a class player. He is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49such a big star in Japan, they love him. He's a wonderful player, has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49been in the final of a Grand Slam and will be a bit nervous because he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49knows if he loses this the tie is over. Everybody gets nervous, even

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the big guys but a classy player. It will be for Dan. Let's hear from Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori. You're a bit like Andy Murray in that you have an excellent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Davis Cup singles record as well as a great record on tour, what

1:30:50 > 1:30:49inspires you so much about this competition? It is a great challenge

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for us to play the British team. They are one of the best teams right

1:30:50 > 1:30:49now, Andy and his brother are great doubles players. It's a great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49challenge and I'm very excited to play this week. Dan Evans will be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49your first opponent, a man who famously beat you at the US Open in

1:30:50 > 1:30:492013, does that match play any part in your thoughts three years on?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Yeah, maybe. But we have changed a lot, both players, himself and me. I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49am a much better player, that was a long time ago. But I think it helps

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for me to play him because we played one in three years ago and I know

1:30:50 > 1:30:49how he plays and I know little bit of his tennis so it is better than

1:30:50 > 1:30:49plain Kyle Edmund. What do you think of Birmingham? It is good, I have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49not got out much yet, I just got here a few days ago but it is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great city, very relaxed and beautiful. But you probably prefer

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the sun on your back like the rest of us? Yes, it is not the greatest

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thing, do not see the sunshine but you know, it is a great city so I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49try to enjoy this week. I wonder if he will enjoy this match, we talk

1:30:50 > 1:30:49about the pressure and expectation on Andy Murray, that is nothing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49compared to what this young man faces when he goes back to Japan. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49cannot go outside of his house, hotel is when he stays there for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49events he is mobbed. They are such tennis fans in Japan and when they

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have here or they go crazy and now they have got a world-class player

1:30:50 > 1:30:49who was in a Grand Slam final. He is one of the nicest chaps on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49circuit, he is always very good in press conferences. He knows what

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this is all about, he gives back to the game and is a tremendous player.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Having Michael Chang in his corner as his coach, talking about his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49speed around the court and his ball striking, beautiful to watch. He is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a class player with so many weapons, so quick, big forehand. Aggressive

1:30:50 > 1:30:49when he needs to be, can change his game, Michael Chang has really

1:30:50 > 1:30:49improved him and got him to the level where I think he can win a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Grand Slam. I think before that he was lacking belief but having

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Michael Chang in his corner like a lot of champions who have brought in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a Grand Slam champion it has given him extra belief in himself. Up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against a very different player today because he's so used to having

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hard shots coming back and using the pace. Dan Evans is a spoiler.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Throwing in very different spins and slices, he will try to break his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49rhythm. Nishikori is so solid, it is whether he will be able to get ahead

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in the rallies, that will be tough but I think this match will be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49closer than people think. We will see, Great Britain 1-0 up, it is Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori versus Dan Evans. Is this going to be a close one, is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans in front of his home crowd going to be able to put on an

1:30:50 > 1:30:49inspiring performance? He is apt against world-class opposition.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Back in 2013 at the US Open victory, winning four, four and two, a year

1:30:50 > 1:30:49later Kei Nishikori came back and was a finalist at the US Open. He is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49going to really wanted Nishikori to punish Evans and to do it in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Davis Cup in front of his home fans in every sense of the word would be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a great satisfaction for Nishikori. Little buzz cut for the Davis Cup.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Very tight at the sides. Businesslike.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie Baker has made his way up the narrow stairs at the top of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49gantry and into the commentary box a lot quicker than John Lloyd or I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49were able to, welcome. I should hope so. You are in good shape.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49What you have got with Nishikori, tell me if you disagree but outside

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of literally I think Djokovic and Murray, I think this guy is up there

1:30:50 > 1:30:49or even above them in movement almost, when he is fully fit he is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49absolutely the quickest thing out there.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And you have to go and for long way down the rankings from world number

1:30:50 > 1:30:49six were Nishikori sets to see somebody who is anywhere near that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49age or younger and we will get into that in a minute. He is 26 years

1:30:50 > 1:30:49old. Good job Dan Evans. Just trying to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49establish the scale of the threat of Nishikori and the stature of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49man, you go down to Milos Raonic, 25, 13th in the world. That

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori the youngest in the top ten by a distance and has been for a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49while. Yes, he has really come through, he is so good to watch,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this speed you were talking about, not only coming from his movement

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but the way he hits the ball, his whole body, so dangerous. It makes

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it hard to read. Djokovic struggles against him, he is not used to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49somebody trading with them and running with him when he needs to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and he has given Djokovic a few hidings. Not many people can say

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that. But he lost last time out against Dan Evans, the British

1:30:50 > 1:30:49number two. That is the element of his game

1:30:50 > 1:30:49which most would point to and say there is still a good 15, 20%

1:30:50 > 1:30:49improvement in it. The server. The interesting to see what Michael

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Chang has done with it in the period.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Quarterfinalist at the recent Australian Open, beat Philipp

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kohlschreiber, Garcia-Lopez and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Lost to Novak

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Djokovic. That is the one area you can

1:30:50 > 1:30:49identify and say to Dan Evans, OK time you make some inroads into his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game that way? If Nishikori is suffering a little bit from nerves

1:30:50 > 1:30:49at some point, looking to see what Dan Evans is going to do with the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49second serve because that will be key for him.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kei Nishikori is so big in Japan he has his own app you can download. Do

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you have the Jamie Baker app? Not yet!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's a bit like a 26-year-old writing an autobiography, you wonder

1:30:50 > 1:30:49how much content there could be at this point. But, such is the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49interest in the man. I tell you, it is really good, a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49great piece of work from Dan Evans. But ten or 12 more of them,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49especially if they are in quick succession and I would not want to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49know where Dan's legs might be in an hour's time because Nishikori can do

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that for hours. That is a Nishikori point won by Evans. That is the sort

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that he wants. There was some suggestion in one or

1:30:50 > 1:30:49two papers this morning that even if Kyle Edmund had been fit and we will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49talk about him in a bit, it is a shame we are not seeing him, but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that Dan might have been picked anyway. I don't see that in a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49million years. I am not sure of that. Also listening to the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49interview with Lyon before this match, Kile is definitely ahead of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan in terms of his level. Speaking to a few people about I'll's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49forehand, -- about Kile's forehand, I just felt, it was massive. How is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that comparing to the others and a few of the guys are saying they

1:30:50 > 1:30:49think in terms of power and pace it is in top ten forehands in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world. And Kyle Evans beat Dan deviously.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He had a back spasm, I thought he might be ready for the match on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Sunday but no. But the good news is that Kyle has got into Indian Wells,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that cut-off was dropped. Dan will no doubt represent himself well as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he has done in the past. That was one of Nishikori's better

1:30:50 > 1:30:49second serves, had a bit of kit on it but I'm a bit worried about the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49lack of intent on the second serve from Dan, I think he really has to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49go after it. It is always more comforting to see

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans winding up to hit a backhand rather than a forehand.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49More errors on the forehand side from Dan Evans, his sliced backhand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will Beatty today, perhaps he can get into the net on that one. --

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will be today. Two singles matches today, doubles tomorrow featuring

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot most likely. Then the two reverse

1:30:50 > 1:30:49singles. That's on the Sunday. I'm going to slightly differ from

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one of my colleagues, and I think that nowadays, you try to sell what

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you are watching but if Dan gets a set, one step at time.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He doesn't miss too many slices, Dan Evans. That is his go to and it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49keeps him in the point. That second serve was good. He has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49come out and he is playing well already, for the most part. That is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a very come very, very late challenge.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That's the first sign of a change of pace from Nishikori's forehand,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fourth to fifth gear. He went right at the man and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49apologised, it was perfectly legitimate and that is the first

1:30:50 > 1:30:49break to Nishikori. Last year, when he was number eight in the world, I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was looking down the ranking list, at 25 years as he was then come he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was the youngest in the top ten by three years and it is similar now.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Looking further down, Raonic is 13th in the world, 25 years of age.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dominic Thiem has been playing superbly committee is number 14, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is only 23, you have Tomic, Jack Sock and Kyrgios. He is 27 in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world. With Nishikori, you have to think that if there is a natural

1:30:50 > 1:30:49drop out, you could be looking at a future world number one. Picking up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on that, it is interesting occurs the is part of that crop to three

1:30:50 > 1:30:49years ago, Raonic, Dimitrov, Nishikori, we all thought Federer

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was getting older, how long can those guys keep at that level and we

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thought one or two would push in. It hasn't quite happened, I don't know

1:30:50 > 1:30:49why, if they are not quite at the standard of the four above them or

1:30:50 > 1:30:49if those four are genuinely that good. The four above them plus Stan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Wawrinka. Apologies to Stan! This is good work from Dan Evans,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49trying to get that straightaway. -- get back. One thing that is very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49noticeable so far is that, from Dan's body language, there is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49belief. He definitely believes. You get the feeling that this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49passage of play, the rate of serve and this possibility to get back,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you have to take this. If Nishikori cuts away, it could be curtains --

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the break of serve. Here is the third of the three, a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49big point. It would not be a bad thing for Great Britain if Nishikori

1:30:50 > 1:30:49missed his first serve. Says the impartial commentator!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Yes. The forehand dropped in and Nishikori couldn't handle it. Back

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on serve, first set. You can see Dan's tactics early on,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he timed that perfectly dumb that forehand, he has been careful not to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49go into that side to early because he knows the angle and paste

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori can get on it but that was perfect.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is just floated with the backspin, a few centimetres to long

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and break points for a third break of serve in a row in this match. It

1:30:50 > 1:30:49seems clear there will not be many easy holds, and we are on quite a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49slow, gritty courts. With Slazenger balls that fluff up quite a bit.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49A poor game, it is a shame. He will get fined for that. Or not. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49frame definitely went. Three double faults and you can understand it.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Totally. There will be people who say, when I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49say he will do well to have got a set, people will be offended but I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49am supporting him. He is trying to play two or three levels up and he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is against a man he has beaten in the past but it is very demanding to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49do it over five sets. Can he go the distance rather than just one or two

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sets? I hope so. He had a good think about that one before he let fly.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And to stay with somebody of this class, number six in the world,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Grand Slam finalist, Dan needs to be right on the edge and perhaps above

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his capability whereas Nishikori could sustain that level at third or

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fourth gear. Loads of ways to get in touch with us and we welcome them

1:30:50 > 1:30:49all. As long as you are nice! Facebook is woke whatever that is.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49-- as well. I don't go on that yet but somebody does and we read them

1:30:50 > 1:30:49all. Evans was very happy to say before

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the match that the key was to keep it close in the early stages, which

1:30:50 > 1:30:49every lower ranked player will try to do first, to hang in there. I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49think that was the frustration with the three double faults having

1:30:50 > 1:30:49managed to do that. It is a little bit smudged but I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49think we know who he is supporting. It is always something very pleasing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on the eye, the single handed backhand winner. Fantastic.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I would like to nominate a couple of single handed back cans -- back

1:30:50 > 1:30:49cans. I think Carla Suarez Navarro has one of the best I have ever

1:30:50 > 1:30:49seen, it is beautiful -- backhands. The British number one, Andy Murray,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49crushed the Japanese number two earlier on today and at the moment,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Japanese number one is returning the favour to our number two. Set

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point. He hasn't played a bad set here, Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans. It is just that point about the different levels between the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49players. That is a bad miss from Nishikori,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49especially on set point, it was his third, and if Evans can hang on here

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and maybe make a couple of points early in the next game, the set

1:30:50 > 1:30:49might not be over. This game is a bit of battle at over five minutes.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Some lovely control from Nishikori, a couple of difficult balls to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49handle on the forehand side. He does look in complete control at the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49moment. Fourth set point. APPLAUSE

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great play. Such a good scoring system in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis, you would say that Nishikori is so far ahead but it keeps

1:30:50 > 1:30:49changing every three or four points. Yes, wait until Evans wins this and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49goes 0- 30 up in the next game. And the longer this goes on, if

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans were to win this, the greater the disappointment and the possible

1:30:50 > 1:30:49reaction from Nishikori in the next game. You can overthink but... It's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49our job! Paralysis by analysis! Second serves getting the treatment

1:30:50 > 1:30:49from Nishikori who is choosing the shortest distance between himself

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and his opponent, straight down the line, and to great effect now it is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49set point number six. And eventually the set does go to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kei Nishikori, the Japanese number one, with the first set 6-3. 37

1:30:50 > 1:30:49minutes, keenly contested but I wonder if there is anything Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans can do to turn this around. STUDIO: We will see in just a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49moment, and obtaining match here. All of the matches in the world

1:30:50 > 1:30:49group are taking place in the next three days. Great Britain as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49champions at the top of the draw and if they were to win they would face

1:30:50 > 1:30:49either Serbia or Kazakhstan. Novak Djokovic won in straight sets

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against Nedovyesov and Viktor Troicki is on court at the moment.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Argentina are won up against Poland who are making their debut in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world group and further down, Germany, Philipp Kohlschreiber came

1:30:50 > 1:30:49through in five sets against Lukas Rosol. Tomas Berdych is up against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Alex Zverev at the moment. Australia and the USA are 1-1 after the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49singles with victories for Bernard Tomic and John Isner. It is their

1:30:50 > 1:30:4946th meeting, those two countries. And Croatia are 1-1 up some Marin

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Cilic winning in straight sets against Tim Kopra jams. -- 1-0 up.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49-- against Tim Kopra Young's -- Kimmer Coppejans. The big story is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that Lleyton Hewitt might play in the doubles tomorrow alongside John

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Peers after one of his team was injured. That is what is happening

1:30:50 > 1:30:49here. John Lloyd is with me. Looking about Dan Connolly is playing well

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and there have been some good rallies. He is playing well and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49trying to manoeuvre him around. The needs the court to be about twice as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fast! Nishikori is too quick at the moment and his ground strokes are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49too powerful. Some entertaining tennis. They are both always great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to watch and it is good tennis but at the moment you can't see where he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can penetrate Nishikori because he is too quick and too powerful. Thank

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you, John. Back to Jamie and Andy. COMMENTATOR: Thank you. The big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49story in tennis is how you get some of the most combative names out so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49beautifully! I was looking at the paddock stunt team and ask how you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49say that. STUDIO: Can I try again? Alexander Nedovyesov. Third time of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49asking. COMMENTATOR: That is brilliant, I wasn't going anywhere

1:30:50 > 1:30:49near it! Sue Barker, you can't go wrong! John Lloyd, Jamie Baker, that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is much easier! Davis Cup taking place around the world. Lleyton

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Hewitt naming himself in the Australian team, I would love Jim

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Courier to name himself in the American team and for the captains

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to play singles. Some of the biggest names in the game. Dan Evans is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49making his way back, just had a banana for some energy having lost

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the first set. It is pretty tough for him to win this match. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49doubles will be crucial tomorrow. Do you think Andy will play? No, I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49don't, actually. I agree, I think it will be Dom Inglot and Jamie Murray.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie Murray the world another two and Dom Inglot is a very fine

1:30:50 > 1:30:49doubles player so they will go in as favourites but with Murray they

1:30:50 > 1:30:49would be heavier favourites. This is the strength of the Great Britain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49team, no matter who we put in the doubles, they can beat almost

1:30:50 > 1:30:49anybody in the world, they almost beat the Bryan brothers last year.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The first double fault. He can get a case of the double faults. He needs

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to be close enough on the school board though.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's going to be challenged. He seems to open up his body quite

1:30:50 > 1:30:49early. He seems to go straight onto the court with his shoulders, chest

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on, quite quickly sometimes. He turns round a bit earlier, dilutes

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the power, Nishikori. He suddenly dilutes the control and the length

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of it. His elbows are quite low as well. Going back to my point about

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the scoring system, it was a concept. Tennis, best of three or

1:30:50 > 1:30:49five set match, is made up of a series of single points. Lets say

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that Dan was playing against Andy Murray, he would say, what are your

1:30:50 > 1:30:49chances of winning any one point? I would say anyone in the world would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49say, I've got a chance of winning one point. So you go on court

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thinking, I can't be that person, but if you broke it down point by

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point... That is why you shouldn't be working in a bank. You should be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49working at the LTA. We would like your comments on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Twitter. If knowledge gets that -- if knowledge like that gets lost to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the game... It is vital for a whole generation of players who could

1:30:50 > 1:30:49benefit from it. A good hold, an important one as

1:30:50 > 1:30:49well. For the local man, Dan Evans, playing the British number two spot

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in the absence of Kyle Edmund, who is ranked at 83 in the world but,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49unfortunately for him, because he was definitely going to play in this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49type, he got a back spasm. He's had it before and it would have eased

1:30:50 > 1:30:49off over two, three, four days or so, but it didn't loosen up to take

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the call today. So Dan Evans getting the nod against the Japanese number

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one. If you are just coming back in from

1:30:50 > 1:30:49school, Andy Murray has already won today. This is the second match of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49two on day one of this Davis Cup tie.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Well, it was beforehand that finished it but it was the backhand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49slice that set it up. Skimming the top of the net, staying low on this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49court, which is laid on boards. A more natural volley would probably

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have moved into that position. Dan really needs to narrow his focus

1:30:50 > 1:30:49down into the next 25 minutes or so here. He needs to leave everything

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he has on the court. To be two sets down against this player, it would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be near on impossible to come back. Choosing to leave that one. On the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve and volley, 2-1. We have mentioned how to get in touch,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49#bbctennis. Jamie Bakker is with me. I will pose a question with me and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just say, the Davis Cup win, does it herald a new and marvellous time for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49British tennis where everybody suddenly starts participating? If

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you are out there and you have played tennis for the first time got

1:30:50 > 1:30:49involved or joined a club after watching the Andy Murray inspired

1:30:50 > 1:30:49victory in Belgium last year, let us know. We are happy to hear from you.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49What has happened to James ward? Are you surprised he is out of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49reckoning on these occasions? No, I think it is more to do with Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49having an amazing run since last summer, fantastic. He qualified for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Australian Open this year. Kyle, we all know how his progress is very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49good. James, unfortunately, has had three or four months where he hasn't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49won enough matches and the other guys are. I don't think it is any

1:30:50 > 1:30:49more than that. That was from Shirley Bradbury, who is often in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49touch. We appreciate it. James is playing in the Challenger in France

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on Thursday night, I think. A great angle, isn't it? He seems to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be able to develop that angle, Jamie, even though he isn't that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wide himself. He wasn't in the tramlines. He was standing in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49baseline and he was able to get it all.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49This is such a trait of his game. We will not see the whole picture here,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but that forehand was so aggressive. It probably cost about eight feet

1:30:50 > 1:30:49above the net. The margin is unbelievable. -- it probably passed

1:30:50 > 1:30:49about eight feet. Oddly enough, he just lost a bit of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49composure as he arrived at the ball. He is so fast. Really had no need,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with the amount of time that he had, to rush himself. Dangerous times for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans, trying to hang in. Such good positioning. He just how

1:30:50 > 1:30:49bad for a milli second longer than he needed. -- he just held that.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Is a shame for British hopes because, each time he comes to the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to serve, it feels like he desperately needs to hold it. It

1:30:50 > 1:30:49feels like the pressure is on him now. Well, look at that. That is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49flamboyant outfit! The technique on that return is so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49good, such a short backswing and he really attacks the contact with the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49ball. It just flew past Evans. How many of those do you think he hit

1:30:50 > 1:30:49from ages 14 to 18? Not enough top-spin on that one. Was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it long? So rare to miss that two-handed

1:30:50 > 1:30:49backhand. He really has to hold this game.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Twice, he has won fifth and deciding matches in Davis Cup ties. He will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49play Taro Daniel in the fifth match of this tie on Sunday afternoon, if

1:30:50 > 1:30:49required. The Davis Cup is the best of five matches over three days. Two

1:30:50 > 1:30:49singles today, doubles tomorrow, always good fun, and then two

1:30:50 > 1:30:49singles on the final day. 763rd in the world last June. 157th

1:30:50 > 1:30:49now. There are no short cuts to that position.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He has never been a top 100 player, which James Ward has been, and Kyle

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Edmund will probably be for a long time to come. He is 83 in the world.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49We invited your comments on #bbctennis. Thank you for getting in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49touch. An annoying amount of respect and love for Jamie Bakker coming in.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49People like Jamie should be involved coaching kids in the game, not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49working in a bank. Isn't that what you said? Yes, but it doesn't

1:30:50 > 1:30:49matter! It is true, why isn't Jamie Bakker LTA's CEO? He definitely has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the knowledge and the passion. Great advice from Jamie, never heard it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49put like that before. We were talking about the scoring system and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the way to look at a match and Jamie's great advice, which I said

1:30:50 > 1:30:49good only be given by a former player. You work in a bank, not on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49foreign exchange or anything, a different department. Were you not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49asked to go into the game? Funnily enough, I wasn't. I have offered to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49volunteer a lot of time, and I have done over the last couple of years,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but it is difficult. When you choose not to be involved full-time, there

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is probably only so much you can do. To be honest, going into another

1:30:50 > 1:30:49business was part of maybe a longer term plan to come back and help the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game. I felt that staying in on a more management type level, I would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49still be too close to the game, too emotional about it. Having had

1:30:50 > 1:30:49business experience, I felt that would add something in a feud years.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49So you want to make your millions and you couldn't at the LTA? Is that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49what you are saying? Not at all. Good work from Dan Evans. He has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49continued to be picked for Davis Cup outings on a regular basis, despite

1:30:50 > 1:30:49all sorts of things going on in his life. He is no doubt a talent. And

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he will be quick to say himself that at times his attitude and his desire

1:30:50 > 1:30:49are not there but, when it comes to the gift of striking a tennis ball,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he certainly has that. The way he plays the game, Andrew,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he is annoying to play against, and that is a really good trait to have.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49You don't know what is coming next. Players rank really but you would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49look forward to playing them. He is not one of those. This is the way

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that people always used to play. It was fun to watch.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I want to see much more of this from Daniel, hitting ground strokes and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49see him coming forward towards the net.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49No bite on that return. It was a mid-court ball that came into the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49court and sat there and said, hit me. Two break points for Britain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49here. Nishikori is getting ready to serve.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He is going to be held up. 9000 people in this Barclaycard

1:30:50 > 1:30:49arena, Birmingham. It was close. He had his chances in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that rally to get in. I thought you might get one of those backhands and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49get into the net with a low ball, but he elected to coming on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49backhand. Nishikori saves the third of three break points.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Five straight points for Kei Nishikori so, to his credit, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49makes it 4-3. Evans had his chances and played well. You will love this,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie. The court of final result from the WTA event in Malaysia,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49immolation open. Naomi Brodie is continuing her good defeating Sabine

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Lisicki. Great effort. Fantastic win! The girls, with Heather, Naomi,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49they have got good momentum. Johanna Konta was a semifinalist at the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wizened Australian Open, which was a great surprise. It looked like she

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was wearing it well. It looked comfortable, she was composed. Naomi

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Brodie did well at Auckland. Heather Watson winning matches as well. If

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Laura Robson can come back from her wrist injury... It has been such a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49long time since she has had a chance to have a run of matches. It is so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49difficult, because I always think, with injuries, not only are you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49spending time not being able to improve and not playing, but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49everybody else is improving and playing. It is a double effect. Ever

1:30:50 > 1:30:49had a bad wrist injury? Not as bad as yours! You can't even say it is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tennis injury either. That would be OK. Don't make me tell people how I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49did this! I fell off a hoverboard. Backwards.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49On New Year's Eve. Don't go on then. Came off the man, I think, the last

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one. I don't know where it hit him. Write it. That is a bull's-eye! Just

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to the left or right. Perfectly acceptable, in this day and age,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49with a racket held up, host of the time. -- most of the time.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I was always taught, if you got hit, you are in the right place, because

1:30:50 > 1:30:49your opponent didn't have anywhere else to go. Was it somebody who had

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just hit you who said that? Called out, the man is under

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pressure. If he is right,... He isn't, unfortunately. It isn't easy,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49calling, it really isn't. It is an ace, and it is for- four, second

1:30:50 > 1:30:49set. Coric Evans worked that point really

1:30:50 > 1:30:49well. But I think that the court is a little too slow for him. A faster

1:30:50 > 1:30:49court, he would not hesitate. I was just trying to think, we have not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49seen one chip and start yet. These tennis balls do fluff up.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49When they fluff up on this surface, it makes them slower. More difficult

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to play an aggressive type of tennis.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kei Nishikori, the first Asian man, obviously a superstar tennis player

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in the region and in Japan. The first Asian man to reach a grand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Islam final, 2014. Most people, be it from Indonesia, the Chinese and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Japanese, if they picked a racket sport it was badminton and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49than tennis. But recently, with Li Na, tennis has been a very popular

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sport. 14 million Chinese players at club level. But this guy is so big

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in the region. There is another competition next week, the All

1:30:50 > 1:30:49England Badminton Championships, I love the speed of that game but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49certainly Kei Nishikori is inspiring people in Japan. You hope that #5e78

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has inspired people to play in the UK. But you don't really see that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49effect? It is a really hard thing to gauge. I think initially, yes,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49anyone can get a lot of people into a park to play tennis once, here and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there, the key to it is how to make it sticky? How do you make people

1:30:50 > 1:30:49come back and make it a game for life? Get the family involved? That

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is what everyone should be spending their time doing. If you don't get

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that right, there are not ten Andy Murrays, coming down the line, so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49these occasions will be few and far between.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And there is the maker of your average British tennis club right

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there. They love the game and they turn out for these occasions in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49their thousands. APPLAUSEMent

1:30:50 > 1:30:49APP LA USE. Just the pace of fern fish's return

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there. It is slight -- just the pace of Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori's return there. It is slightly impacting there for him.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Just away? The arm came out, so Dan Evans will challenge.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49You definitely have to challenge that. It sounded big.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He hitted it like he wanted to on to the side line, did it catch the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49outside edge? No. It's a very good call.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Well that could be important. No challenges remaining.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Trying to hang in there against the Japanese number one.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Well that is a fine hold of serve. He could have buckled there but he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49didn't. Such a clever move from Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori. He sauce Evan's racket pace open up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in the back there and was so quick into the net.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49There's the big man for Great Britain. Every single time! How good

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is he at tennis? Every time you see him play, honestly, it is fabulous.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49You know what marks him out? I was trying to think what marks Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray out, above everything, it is the application. Where does he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49commit to that? To the ball, to his training, to every aspect.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That's a built bit pushy, isn't it? It sort of fell off the racket face.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is where the court is not helping that much. That serve really

1:30:50 > 1:30:49got quite a lot of action off the court. Dan was metres behind the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49baseline, hitting a sliced return. In an ideal world, I think he would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49want to run around that, or hit something and try to take Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori's time away. So, Dan Evans goes up and down in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the rankings, sometimes he is in, sometimes he is not. He will say it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49himself, about his attitude and his desire for the game. Has there been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49no way to tame that over the years? I don't know, it seems like not. I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49guess, if you look back through the last, five, six, seven years, if he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49was on a graph, there has been that yo-yo effect. The last break he had,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49actually he had an injury but it probably was coming off the back of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49not training as hard as he had before, therefore, he is more

1:30:50 > 1:30:49susceptible to injury. All of that stuff.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Leon Smith is happy to back him? Absolutely. And Dan has produced a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49couple of very, very big wins for him.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I think if anyone has been able to have the most influence over Dan, it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49probably has been Leon over that period. He has been the one that Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49would have in his ear, to go to, ask for advice, all of that type of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thing. There is no doubt, if he can have some type of consistency, he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has been to 2130 so far, to put consistency year after year, where

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can it go. Can it be top 100? Why not?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's the old penalty technique that one. The dipping down the middle,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Kei Nishikori. Certainly going to the back of Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans. But there is no challenges remaining. It would be lovely to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49know whether or not this was in or out.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49In! A really clever forehand that was.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Off the deep ball. He could sense how far back in the court Evans was.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He set everything up. Evans will get another challenge if

1:30:50 > 1:30:49they go to a tiebreaker, if he can hold here.

1:30:50 > 1:30:4915-30. Oh, that's a very fine return.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He must have caught Evans with this five or six times in this match. Set

1:30:50 > 1:30:49points for a two-set lead for the Japanese number one.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It was the perfect track tick, wasn't it? He didn't stick it, did

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he? He just laid his racket head on it. He saved two set points already.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Here is a third to face. That's too bad. At least he went for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it. But the bottom line is that Kei Nishikori has earned himself a lead.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's the second match on day one of this world group match in the Davis

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Cup. Nicely poised. Yes, very much the advantage, Kei

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori in this match. I'm here with John Lloyd watching that. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49top players have the ability to raise the game when it mattered. In

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the last match he came up with great points, didn't he, Nishikori? He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49did. Top ten players, when they sense danger or a chance to get

1:30:50 > 1:30:49ahead, they have that extra little bit. Nishikori did that. The first

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve from Dan Evans was keeping in play, brilliantly, and kept getting

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori in the corners. He served brilliantly. He dipped in the last

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game. He did not make a first serve to the last couple of points.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori took advantage. Dan had to play his best to stay close,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori could drop a bit and then accelerate at the right time.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Where can Dan make a little more ground? The court is not helping

1:30:50 > 1:30:49him? He is on the back foot a little? Absolutely right.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49At the US Open, I watched a match with Dan. It was fast. Dan was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49getting quicker points, cheaper points. On a surface like this, you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have to earn them. And if Dan doesn't do something, the forehand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49from Nishikori takes over, the speed takes over, Dan is fighting a losing

1:30:50 > 1:30:49battle. He did well, first but at the crunch points he didn't take

1:30:50 > 1:30:49over. He said he would love to play doubles if it is the best for the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49team said Andy Murray, so he could play doubles in the game tomorrow.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Sue, thank you. Scary time coming up over the next

1:30:50 > 1:30:4915 minutes for Dan Evans. He has not played badly for 6-3, 7-5. So

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori, the danger here is, that he will go through the gearbox. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49muscles relax. He has the win if he can finish the job. Evans needs to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just hang in. This is a situation, Jamie, where it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is not always good to first serve in a set when you have gone two sets

1:30:50 > 1:30:49down. It is great news for Dan that Nishikori is serving this one. If he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49had been serving Dan, and lost the serve and been ambushed, there would

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have been disappointment. That's a very good point.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Well, thanks! Nicely done. In that situation, it just

1:30:50 > 1:30:49potentially gets in a few extra minutes to regroup. Get over the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fact he is two sets down. Who knows, he might get a break.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That's pushy again. It is another double. He opens up too quick. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49body comes around, the elbow drops. If there is one bit, this is the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world number six we are talking about.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I wonder, if you put a Novak Djokovic serve on his game, you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49wonder what you would have, wouldn't you? Oh, yes!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He just held this. I could not have judged it any better.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Off a sliced ball to play a sliced back like that? Difficult. Not a lot

1:30:50 > 1:30:49of pace on it. You wonder what the tact is. He was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49aggressive in the second serve. That one was just a half court slice.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Which would have been fine if it had landed within a yard of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49baseline. But it enabled the short ball of Nishikori to make its way

1:30:50 > 1:30:49through it, didn't it? Yes. That is a brutal point to play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against. It was Evans having to wait the whole time and wait. Wait, wait,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49move. Very physically taxing. A bit like when Barcelona have the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49football and you are running around after them. It is exhausting!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Yep. That was a decent game from Dan Evans but it is Nishikori who saves

1:30:50 > 1:30:49break points and comes on through. 2.00pm, there is some swearing down

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there, sorry if you are hearing it. 2.00pm tomorrow for the doubles will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be an interesting match. Interesting that Sue Barker said that Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray said in the press conference that after the win today, that if it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is right, his body is right and it is right for the team, that he will

1:30:50 > 1:30:49play. I am slightly surprised. If he said

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that, that basically means he is playing. He has been out on court

1:30:50 > 1:30:49less than nah an miles an hour-and-a-half. Potentially maybe

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in his mindset, he has not played that much tennis. Maybe he feels he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can play a little more tennis before taking on this man on Sunday.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Something to look forward to, 2.00pm on BBC One on Saturday for the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49all-important doubles. It is always good fun. Jamie Murray and Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray? Or perhaps, Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot? We will see.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Stirling University are doing a great job of keeping the game alive.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It's a break point. Just too long. He couldn't handle

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the pace. It's a break of serve and for the first time, perhaps, Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evan's head goes down and he shakes his head. He could anybody trouble

1:30:50 > 1:30:49now. It is such a difficult situation. It

1:30:50 > 1:30:49comes back to the drilling, point-by-point mentality. Somebody

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in this position should be able to drill anything back and say they are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49just playing a point to try to win this point it is not what you think.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49You are two sets down, a mountain to climb it is a very challenging

1:30:50 > 1:30:49sport. We had been talking about Dan Evans

1:30:50 > 1:30:49coming in a lot in this match and how you can do it but, I have to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49say, Nishikori's passing shots have been fantastic the whole match.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49In this situation, the only thing that Evans can think now is that the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49longest journey starts with the first step. It is back to basics,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point by point, a stepping stone thing.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49But what you are not accounting for, at the risk of going into

1:30:50 > 1:30:49psychobabble, but that is what tennis players are like, is when

1:30:50 > 1:30:49your spirit is extinguished, just temporarily, like this, when you are

1:30:50 > 1:30:49down and you have lost your confidence. It's very hard to regain

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it. So, a chance to keep his chances

1:30:50 > 1:30:49alive in this match, one feels, a chance to break straight back, Dan

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Evans. Well done for still giving himself a chance.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Oh, no! Rather let the ball play him, rather than him playing the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49ball. I am wondering whether they have tactically decided for Dan not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to chip and charge. That would have been a good time to threaten, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49second serve. That was absolutely up in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49lights. The chase to get to this was impressive. The racket head control,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49two, through the scaffolding, over the lights, back down again. Well

1:30:50 > 1:30:49done, Dan Evans! Could have gone there, but he didn't. That is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49resilience. Nice work and, when you are trying

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to come back, trying to achieve one of the great things in tennis, to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49come back from two sets down, because there are only four

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tournaments that you have a chance to go to and that's chance to come

1:30:50 > 1:30:49back, to achieve one of the great things, you could use a bit of help

1:30:50 > 1:30:49out there, and Leon Smith has a great role right now. And I am sure

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he will be doing just exactly that, forget the score, forget the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49situation, focus on now, OK, we've got a bit of momentum, you thought

1:30:50 > 1:30:49you were down and out, you've just broken. What are the tactics to win

1:30:50 > 1:30:49as many points as possible? And they're also definitely is an

1:30:50 > 1:30:49element of Nishikori taking his foot off the gas, so, if Dan can put five

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to ten minutes worth of solid points together, we may be back in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match. A similar situation in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49semifinal, when Dan was playing Bernard Tomic, getting really

1:30:50 > 1:30:49beaten, and he somehow pulled the last set out. The last hour of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match, they were both on the ropes, 50-50.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49From 2-0 down to 2-2, good effort, Dan Evans. He is from whole green,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49four or five miles away, so a home crowd for him. Sitting back and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49watching, your team-mates winning the Davis Cup, you know, he wanted

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to be a part of that. It happened to coincide with a difficult few months

1:30:50 > 1:30:49for him. But now, he made a final in Dallas, his ranking is back up

1:30:50 > 1:30:49again. So is his tail in this match. Almost within the blink of an eye,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it is Nishikori who needs to regroup a bit. I wouldn't have predicted

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that. Dan Evans, happy to express himself

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on that backhand side. He has so many shots to choose from on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49backhand. He can come over it, the slice is digging in, UCB side spin

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on that, lovely control. Nishikori may be quick but, when he got there,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he didn't know what to do with it. And, once again, it is that backhand

1:30:50 > 1:30:49side. Nishikori tries to attack, but it is Evans who gets the break of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve. Fascinating ten, 15 minutes. A few

1:30:50 > 1:30:49things to say. Nishikori, 2-0, 40-15 serving, game point there, another

1:30:50 > 1:30:49game point there, didn't get it, and then the last two points on the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49outside, he went for a three quarters serve to Dan's backhand and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49served and volleyed off fourth. Evans isn't going to miss that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49backhand side. The forehand, he will make more mistakes. The backhand is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49solid as a rock. He will get it to your feet, beneath the height of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49net. He will make you volley up. With the grips that Nishikori has on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the volleys, the technique, you've got a fancy Evans for that. Well

1:30:50 > 1:30:49played. He has got some high highs, tennis wise, Dan Evans. He can play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49very poorly but, my goodness, put him in front of a home crowd, and he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49can do damage. Also, lets not forget, we are about

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to go into the third hour of a match. This is number 157 against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49number six. That is a big difference. Watts with Evans, the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thing is, can he do it on a day-to-day basis? Did do that now,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Allbritton cares about is that he can make an impact on Nishikori.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Perhaps he can try him out and stop -- try and tie him out.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Once again, the value of the ball beneath the height of the match when

1:30:50 > 1:30:49somebody advances on you, in singles and doubles. As soon as it drops

1:30:50 > 1:30:49below the height of that, you are in great shape. That should be your

1:30:50 > 1:30:49name. Take the place of, allow people to fall down into a difficult

1:30:50 > 1:30:49area for your opponent. The round arm smash. Because it had

1:30:50 > 1:30:49so much top-spin on it, he had no time to set up and then the elbow

1:30:50 > 1:30:49came right over the top of it. Jimmy Connors was the first I saw with

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this technique. That is quality. A pretty good lob as well. It was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49almost behind him. Superb hold of serve. What about

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this from Dan Evans? What match am I watching? Too

1:30:50 > 1:30:49excited. He is playing with real purpose at

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the moment, Dan Evans. He knows what he wants to do. It is finding that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49balance between executing and... One or two errors may be OK but it is a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fine balance. Very much like a first serve again,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49he would like, which is what he would get if that was in. Yes. I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49tell you something, the half-volley, that is pretty tough on Nishikori

1:30:50 > 1:30:49because the half-volley was a tough one for Evans. The return was very

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fine. There you are, first serve. Doctor Jamie Baker has spotted

1:30:50 > 1:30:49something on the court. I am not sure whether van pulled up on, not

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the last point, but the serve before that. His right leg. It is quite hot

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in this arena, white tents in these sorts of matches. -- quite tense.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That was fine. Very good ball. You see, if a Davis Cup match was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49over in one set, Dan Evans would be on the team sheet every time. But

1:30:50 > 1:30:49over the years, and he will admit it himself, we are not talking out of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49turn, he has found... We have all struggled with workrate at times,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49but Dan perhaps hasn't quite put the hours in that he wished he had. In

1:30:50 > 1:30:49these situations, you are tested physically.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori is one of the fittest men ever to play tennis.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He is doing very well! He is digging quite deep. He is two sets down, and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori could have driven one of his Birmingham city buses right down

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the line on this one coming up here. That has got lying written all over

1:30:50 > 1:30:49it. It goes crosscourt, and that is an easy one for a volleyer.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Both players are playing two matches. They are playing each other

1:30:50 > 1:30:49and it feels like they are fighting themselves at the moment as well,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49not knowing when the next slightly loose shot is going to happen.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Oh, dear oh dear! Well, that you would call the miss of the match so

1:30:50 > 1:30:49far. Nishikori is an experienced guide, number six in the world.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Playing away in the Davis Cup is never easy, and this is a match that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Japan must win. Very fine hitting. Dan Evans is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49again a break-up. 2-0 down in this set, then a break up, then he lost

1:30:50 > 1:30:49his serve, and now a break... I wonder what Captain Leon Smith is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49saying, apart from well done. Lets talk to a former captain, John

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Lloyd. What's it like in the middle of this mayhem? It is good when you

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have momentum impact your way. What a performance. It was extraordinary.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It looked like he was down and out, but he kept his belief. He kept his

1:30:50 > 1:30:49stature on the court. His head didn't drop. Nishikori, what a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49meltdown. I haven't seen many bad meltdowns like this from a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49world-class player. He had this match but his forehand has gone all

1:30:50 > 1:30:49over the place. He is looking at his captain. He is almost in a daze. In

1:30:50 > 1:30:49this Davis Cup, best of five sets, you never know what can happen.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Credit to Dan Evans for hanging in. How many out of ten do you think for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans question mark what are the chances of him winning from this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49position? You would still put him at about two, from this position, but,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49if he does, it would be amazing. But, again, this is confidence for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the British team. Andy Murray will be loving watching this, to see a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player like Nishikori starting to miss balls like this, simple balls.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49When you hang in there, this is a big tonic for the British team, that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is for sure. It really is. Doubles tomorrow, BBC One at 2pm. Inglot and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Jamie Murray are the British team so far.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49With this many breaks in the match, one of the key things when I was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49playing was focused on winning the first point of the game.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is a soft forehand mistake at 0- 15 from Nishikori.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49122 mph second serve from Dan Evans. That is the way to keep your man

1:30:50 > 1:30:49guessing. That is a big serve. The captain of Japan. I don't know

1:30:50 > 1:30:49what he is saying to Nishikori. At this point, making Nishikori play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one more ball is exactly the right thing to do, because the Japanese

1:30:50 > 1:30:49number one has missed the few that he shouldn't. -- has missed a view

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that he shouldn't. Dan will have felt he should have

1:30:50 > 1:30:49made that volley. Yet again, I cannot remember one time when

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori has failed to make him play a volley every time he has come

1:30:50 > 1:30:49in. Like you were saying, another ball, every time, every time.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49This is what happened again. What we said earlier, if you allow the ball

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to play you, you don't dig down on it quite enough, it can float. It

1:30:50 > 1:30:49happened there. Two and a quarter hours. No sign of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49fatigue in those legs, yet. Still moving well.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49No sign of fatigue in the leg buttion can see fatigue in the shot

1:30:50 > 1:30:49selection. That was a total brain cram. A drop

1:30:50 > 1:30:49shot was never possible. It was a miss-hit, loopy, return, with no

1:30:50 > 1:30:49pace. High. Almost impossible to execute a drop shot off that.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He's been picked off. There goes one of the six balls. Hopefully that one

1:30:50 > 1:30:49will come back. He doesn't look at the target. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49knows exactly what he is doing with that.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49When you move into a passing shot, the drills you have done.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Especially at Bollateri's! You were allowing the body to do what it

1:30:50 > 1:30:49knows. Nishikori finds the gap. Could it be four breaks in a row?

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That's a fantastic start to a game. What a foundation to build on, when

1:30:50 > 1:30:49there have been so many breaks. First serve, pop on the backhand.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He hasn't served many of them this match.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Ace, for Nishikori... Ace number five. It is a hold of

1:30:50 > 1:30:49serve. That's the first time there has been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a hold in five games. So an important game coming up for

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dan Evans here. Nishikori, a quarter-finalist in the Australian

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Open this year. A man who has won in Memphis as well. Sunday is going to

1:30:50 > 1:30:49be a battle. Nishikori, Jamie Murray, has not lost a Davis Cup

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match since 2012 against evow Karlovic. Murray did not play

1:30:50 > 1:30:49anybody close to that in the rankings. Gills simmon, the great

1:30:50 > 1:30:49challenge from Queen's Club, I'm not taking anything from Andy Murray but

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori could be a danger, not taking anything for granted at this

1:30:50 > 1:30:49time? I agree. The point about Andy watching from the sidelines. If

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Nishikori performs in this set, it is not somebody who seems to be

1:30:50 > 1:30:49right at the top of their game in terms of confidence level, yet I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49thought he was playing great at the Australian Open, until the Novak

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Djokovic match. I think that the Djokovic move match sucked

1:30:50 > 1:30:49confidence from him. He was in the really in there.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That match took it up another gear. Last week in Acapulco he lost to Sam

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Querrey in the second round, so... Dan Evans will get a first serve.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I will say this, though, it is easier to play your best tennis when

1:30:50 > 1:30:49less is expected of you. This is a must-win match for Nishikori,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49against a much lower ranked guy. More difficult to play your best in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that situation? A totally different mindset for Nishikori.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Again, a change of phrase Dan Evans, a change of spin. But what was that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49from Nishikori? He is in the game. Trying to pull off a shot which is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49really not on in that situation. Sweetly done! Having lost his two

1:30:50 > 1:30:49previous service games, serving to stay in the match, that was

1:30:50 > 1:30:49courageous stuff. Lovely control of the racket face on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the half volley from Dan Evans. Sort of a half volley, a stiff arm,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49backhand hold. Lovely. Just away. Game to Japan.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49So just to bring you up to speed. Andy Murray, the first time he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49played since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open. The

1:30:50 > 1:30:49first time playing since becoming a dad. He got the victory easily in

1:30:50 > 1:30:49straight sets, against Taro Daniel. This match looks like going Japan's

1:30:50 > 1:30:49way but who knows. Doubles tomorrow at 2.00pm. At the moment it is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray, the world number two, playing against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the Japanese pair, who played together regularly on the tour. But

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I wonder if Kei Nishikori takes his place in the doubles just as Andy

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Murray will? Nishikori for the doubles, or leave the doubles pair

1:30:50 > 1:30:49as they are? I think considering the significance of it, when you have a

1:30:50 > 1:30:49player that much better than everyone else in the team, it is

1:30:50 > 1:30:49very difficult to leave them out, isn't it? I would have thought so.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The Japanese doubles teams, slated to play tomorrow, lost to Ken and

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Neil Skupsi in Cherbourg. I wonder if there has been a word from the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Skupsis, a delightful doubles players.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He doesn't give much away, Nishikori but that was a steely look. He

1:30:50 > 1:30:49definitely wants to turn the screw here.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Such a good backhand volley, that was. Below the height of the net,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49again. That's one of his best points of the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49match. Brutal chasing at this stage with Dan Evans. Whatever happens,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49even if they go to a breaker, you back your points up. You go in with

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a very high heart rate in you are Dan Evans, just because of that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49point. No real time to recover between points, so taxing stuff.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Great serve. It's very well done. Dan Evans

1:30:50 > 1:30:49again. From match point down. The crowd are not going out without

1:30:50 > 1:30:49a fight if these are the final throws of this Davis Cup tie on day

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one. Dan Evans has to win the break or he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is a gonner. So, a lace or some part of his shoe

1:30:50 > 1:30:49has gone. He's been chasing so hard, he's been

1:30:50 > 1:30:49using every part of that shoe, hasn't he?! Getting pulled out wide.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The umpire saying you can't take a break before the tie-break.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49He is like but the shoe is broke! The firs won't be too pleased to see

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that. They will want to know why. Rightly so.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49-- the manufactures won't be too pleased to see that.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is not ideal when you have to put on a new boot as well.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49No. Hopefully he has worn them in a little. I know when Andy Murray won

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Wimbledon that year, he was rotating six pairs of shoes.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49There are not many times I have needed six pairs of shoes in a whole

1:30:50 > 1:30:49year. Right, here we go then. Tie-break third set.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The first serve had been neutralised.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49That is OK for Dan Evans. That gave the short ball and no

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hesitation that time. No hesitation whatsoever!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Same pattern, this time Dan is not quite able to get the approach right

1:30:50 > 1:30:49on the forhand. Once Nishikori is there, he is going to hit the can at

1:30:50 > 1:30:49the other end. You look at the drills he has done, he will not miss

1:30:50 > 1:30:49that one. The quality of the tennis in the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49last three points has really shot up through the roof.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Slightly overpressing. Was it there to be hit that way? I suppose he has

1:30:50 > 1:30:49to give himself a chance. I wonder if Dan Evans has anything

1:30:50 > 1:30:49else to go to. The British bench look on.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The doctor, the dieticians, if Issows, it is amazing nowadays.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Stringers! Nothing left to chance. Well that return of serve is against

1:30:50 > 1:30:49everything that Nishikori has ever trained to be, that is a rock that

1:30:50 > 1:30:49makes no mistakes and makes life miserable for the opposition. He is

1:30:50 > 1:30:494-2 up in the breaker. Second serve in the middle of the court and he

1:30:50 > 1:30:49hits the net with the return. It's amazing - Evans is still in there!

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Oh! Wow! That is clever, isn't it. Second serve? That's gutsy stuff. I

1:30:50 > 1:30:49have to take my hat off to that. The question is did he say Dan edge

1:30:50 > 1:30:49edge over, or he had planned to go there before.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Either way, it was committed. Fantastic.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49And a change of direction to what he is comfortable at this stage. That

1:30:50 > 1:30:49is fair dos. It's away. I'm afraid.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49The Japanese number one has three match points.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49I don't know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing, such is the

1:30:50 > 1:30:49quality of Nishikori's return from the baseline game.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is 1-1 at the end of day one. Nishikori, the Japanese number one,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49beats Dan Evans in straight sets. 6-3, 7-5, 7-6.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Well, such a tough match but Kei Nishikori is tough in the tie-break.

1:30:50 > 1:30:49It is evenly poised at the end of day one. Great Britain, one, Japan,

1:30:50 > 1:30:49one. So we will be there for the doubles tomorrow. We will be live on

1:30:50 > 1:30:49BBC One at 2.00pm. Jamie Murray, hopefully, Andy Murray, or Dominic

1:30:50 > 1:30:49Inglot. But the doubles tomorrow but it has been quite a day. Hope you

1:30:50 > 1:30:50enjoyed it. Goodbye.