:00:33. > :00:42.SUE BARKER: Good afternoon. This weekend, we are rendered this Doric
:00:43. > :00:49.town of Rouen, built on the banks of the River Seine, 80 miles west of
:00:50. > :00:53.Paris. Rouen played an important part in the history of France, and
:00:54. > :00:57.today, the medieval quarter has been lovingly restored. It boasts many
:00:58. > :01:01.picturesque landmarks but is dominated by this imposing
:01:02. > :01:04.cathedral, the tallest in France. It is also a town passionate about
:01:05. > :01:09.tennis, which is why the French Federation has brought this Davis
:01:10. > :01:14.Cup quarterfinal tie here, and so far, it looks to be paying. Today,
:01:15. > :01:19.the doubles match, featuring four experienced players. For Britain's
:01:20. > :01:25.Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot, this is a must win match to avoid a crushing
:01:26. > :01:34.defeat by France. Following the two singles matches the yesterday, when
:01:35. > :01:40.Lucas Pouille and Jeremy Chardy both had straight sets wins. That could
:01:41. > :01:48.be a decisive break for France in this opening set. Fine, fine
:01:49. > :01:55.margins. Now, the opportunity with Jeremy Chardy to make a 2# zero --
:01:56. > :02:14.82- lead. -- a 2-0 lead. So, France are 2-0 up, and a win
:02:15. > :02:17.today would put them through to the semifinal, but what a different tie
:02:18. > :02:25.it might have been at Kyle Edmund had been able to take the second set
:02:26. > :02:31.high -- tie-break. Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot are up against Nicolas
:02:32. > :02:35.Mahut and Julien Benneteau. The match has just got underway. Jamie
:02:36. > :02:44.Murray has just held serve, so Great Britain lead 1-0. Let's join the
:02:45. > :02:48.commentators. COMMENTATOR: A good first opening service game from
:02:49. > :02:59.Jamie Murray, holding to 15. This is going to be a difficult match. Jamie
:03:00. > :03:03.Murray and Dom Inglot have got some Davis Cup wins behind them. But they
:03:04. > :03:06.are facing two players who know each other so well. Not regular
:03:07. > :03:11.team-mates on the tour now, but they worked for many years. -- but they
:03:12. > :03:35.were for many years. That is Julien Benneteau with the
:03:36. > :03:40.smash. He is 35, and in fact, both of these players are 35. They first
:03:41. > :03:44.played doubles together when they were teamed up by the French
:03:45. > :03:47.Federation at the age of 11, so we're talking about 18 here who have
:03:48. > :03:49.been playing together for almost a quarter of a century. -- we are
:03:50. > :04:13.talking about a team. They play together throughout their
:04:14. > :04:17.teenage years. In 1999, while junior doubles number one. They won the
:04:18. > :04:22.1999 junior doubles title together. And here we are, in 2017, and they
:04:23. > :06:10.are representing their nation once more in the Davis Cup.
:06:11. > :06:20.Recently, Nicolas Mahut enjoyed a rise to the top of the game. Herbert
:06:21. > :06:46.isn't involved this weekend. Nicolas Mahut, on the left, with his
:06:47. > :06:50.former partner, Julien Benneteau, who reached the Wimbledon final
:06:51. > :06:55.himself. John Lloyd, this is a really tough test for Great Britain
:06:56. > :07:00.again. Retail, then you've got this surface in the next, the red clay,
:07:01. > :07:02.where the French team are some at home. It is a very tough match up
:07:03. > :07:18.for the British team. That is a nice volley from Dominic
:07:19. > :09:27.Inglot. There was a look there on that
:09:28. > :09:33.serve, and Yannick Noah looked round like, really? Was that a second
:09:34. > :09:37.serve? Dom Inglot has such confidence in that delivery, he will
:09:38. > :09:42.serve an occasional 44 because he takes chances, but he has a lot of
:09:43. > :09:45.confidence. In a match against Canada, he was the best player on
:09:46. > :09:51.the court. For me, he arrived then as a Davis Cup player and felt like
:09:52. > :09:55.he had been in the team on a number of occasions. That was a big match
:09:56. > :09:59.for him because he came through so well, and he seems to have improved
:10:00. > :10:05.since then. When Andy Murray is in the team, he will invariably partner
:10:06. > :10:13.his brother in doubles, and there is no place for Dominic Inglot. When
:10:14. > :10:22.called upon, he gets the results, as you say. Canada this year, Serbia
:10:23. > :10:29.last year. Defeat to America. That's no disgrace, because they were
:10:30. > :10:33.playing the Brown Brothers. It is an interesting time for Dom Inglot on
:10:34. > :10:36.the ATP Tour. He played with 15 different partners last season,
:10:37. > :10:41.really needs to settle down. And just when he thought he was settling
:10:42. > :10:46.down this season, he tells me they are going their separate ways again.
:10:47. > :10:51.He is going to team up with Robin Haase and from the Netherlands. They
:10:52. > :11:13.made the final in Marseille. In the final, who did they play?
:11:14. > :11:17.Benneteau and Mahut. All these players know each other's games
:11:18. > :11:58.inside out, really. Very familiar on the tour.
:11:59. > :12:42.A good pick-up there from Jamie Murray. Well read.
:12:43. > :13:40.This is a match that Britain have to win.
:13:41. > :13:45.More of the same here inside the Rouen sports Palace. If you were not
:13:46. > :13:51.with our coverage yesterday, it's not easy. It has plenty of these
:13:52. > :13:55.acknowledgements all around here - big base drums, trombones, trumpets.
:13:56. > :14:04.Everyone has a coloured shirt or a flag, by the look of things.
:14:05. > :14:28.That's the Davis Cup, really. Only 5000, but it feels like a lot more.
:14:29. > :14:36.That was good serving there from Jamie Murray. He is the slowest
:14:37. > :14:40.server in terms of pace of the format, but if you can be that
:14:41. > :14:44.accurate, a high percentage of first serves in, then he will be OK. But
:14:45. > :14:48.you have to be very accurate on this clay-court. If you don't have the
:14:49. > :14:57.big power, you have to get the ball close to the lines or into the body
:14:58. > :14:58.really well. Doesn't want to see too many second serves today if he can
:14:59. > :16:07.avoid it. I wonder if Jamie Murray remembers,
:16:08. > :16:13.but his mother has been reminding us that he and Andy played their first
:16:14. > :16:18.international tournament here in Rouen when they were nine and ten,
:16:19. > :16:24.back in 1996. I was digging a bit more into this tournament, which the
:16:25. > :16:28.Yannick Noah foundation was involved in supporting. It is played in
:16:29. > :16:32.sports halls and satellite clubs around the city over a few days, and
:16:33. > :16:42.Andy Murray played Gael Monfils in the semifinals. It was three really
:16:43. > :16:48.tight sets, but Monfils won. He played Jamie Murray in the final,
:16:49. > :16:51.and Jamie absolutely whacked him. It was a comfortable win. According to
:16:52. > :16:57.Judy, the journey home from Rouen the Scotland was full of Andy saying
:16:58. > :17:09.he had soft and Monfils up for his brother! At that time, Jamie,
:17:10. > :17:18.Gasquet and Monfils were the three top players in their age group. It
:17:19. > :18:01.has been a decent start from Jamie Murray. Now, Nicolas Mahut.
:18:02. > :18:08.The players will be hoping for a few seconds serves to have a go at. All
:18:09. > :18:12.four players are just not missing, and they are not getting a chance to
:18:13. > :18:22.have a go at any balls at the moment.
:18:23. > :18:30.Dom Inglot move just a fraction too soon there. You have to time that so
:18:31. > :18:34.precisely when you cross. You can see, he goes here and just goes a
:18:35. > :18:36.fraction early, just gives enough time bomb Mahut to guide that ball
:18:37. > :18:53.down the line. Second serve. Unfortunately, they
:18:54. > :19:31.are 40-0 down already, the British. The best of five sets in the Davis
:19:32. > :19:43.Cup. The fourth time in a row that the Brits have made it to the
:19:44. > :19:44.quarterfinals. Fine performances from Lucas Pouille in Jeremy Chardy
:19:45. > :20:07.yesterday. -- and Jeremy Chardy. Good hands there from Dom Inglot. He
:20:08. > :20:08.just crushes that serve. His second serve is as hard as his first,
:20:09. > :20:19.almost. A good standard so far. I know it's
:20:20. > :20:29.early days, but all four players looked very sharp at the moment. A
:20:30. > :20:36.foot fault? Yes. He doesn't do that very often.
:20:37. > :20:48.In the old days, they didn't have all the referees and umpires coming
:20:49. > :20:50.from different countries, so the foot fault was a favourite thing to
:20:51. > :21:03.do in an away match. What a shot! You ended up having to
:21:04. > :21:05.serve about two feet behind the baseline on the server so they could
:21:06. > :21:40.not foot fault you. -- on the serve. What a return! Benneteau steps in
:21:41. > :21:44.here, rotates the shoulders, turns. I mean, what an amazing shot! Look
:21:45. > :21:50.at the way he gets out of the way of the ball. That was an Andre Agassi
:21:51. > :21:52.line, wasn't in the? He was expecting it higher, wasn't he? I
:21:53. > :22:32.think so. -- wasn't he? Oh! It is 208 kilometres per hour,
:22:33. > :22:37.but right in the corner. This is good quality doubles, very
:22:38. > :22:45.entertaining so far. No deuce points, let alone break points. I'm
:22:46. > :22:50.glad it didn't hit Jamie Murray on the head at that speed. You're
:22:51. > :22:57.right, for me, men's doubles, this is the best surface to watch it on.
:22:58. > :23:01.On grass under faster courts, you tend to get a lot of service games
:23:02. > :23:06.with not too much happening, but on clay, a lot more returning, variety
:23:07. > :23:08.and technical awareness, because the ball is more in play. I think it is
:23:09. > :23:36.a great surface for men's doubles. It has been a beautiful day here in
:23:37. > :23:42.Normandy, as hopefully it has been wherever you are. We have been
:23:43. > :23:49.lapping up the sunshine in the various streetside cafes, cobbled
:23:50. > :23:56.put-mac cobblestoned streets. People have made their way along the river
:23:57. > :24:17.Seine on the way here. Just in. A bit fortunate there. At
:24:18. > :24:21.the moment, Jamie Murray, on that service return, he is getting jammed
:24:22. > :24:24.a lot on the serve. They are focusing a lot on body serves to
:24:25. > :24:28.Jamie Murray, and he hasn't quite got out of the way of the ball
:24:29. > :24:48.enough yet to hit that two-handed backhand the way he wants to.
:24:49. > :25:01.We haven't seen any of Jamie Murray's trademark lobs.
:25:02. > :25:13.Well, that, just missing... Did he listen to me there? But he missed
:25:14. > :25:19.it. He built it up and he missed it. Down the forehand side as well. In
:25:20. > :25:21.fact, probably more from the forehand going into the backhand
:25:22. > :25:40.corner. France will know all about that.
:25:41. > :27:11.Another illustration of how close players are on top of the net. You
:27:12. > :27:12.can see Dom Inglot, he is almost leaning over the net when he hit
:27:13. > :27:42.that ball. They have the option with Benneteau
:27:43. > :28:02.of sliding it out wide. And then kicking it out wide to
:28:03. > :28:25.Mahut. He's only dropped one point on his serve so far, Jamie Murray.
:28:26. > :28:50.So, nine games with serve, no sign of a deuce still. Now, it will be
:28:51. > :28:54.Nicolas Mahut to serve to stay in the first set. It has been confident
:28:55. > :28:59.from Jamie Murray. What a year it was for him last year. He partnered
:29:00. > :29:05.with Bruno Soares, won the Australian Open, the US Open as
:29:06. > :29:11.well. There is Judy Murray, in the crowd, supporting her son. And world
:29:12. > :29:14.number one. Meaning that both brothers were world number one at
:29:15. > :29:20.the same time in November of last year. Obviously, the first time that
:29:21. > :29:25.has ever happened, a doubles and a singles world number one from the
:29:26. > :29:36.same family. Incredible. Jamie, I must say, when his partnership ended
:29:37. > :29:42.with, I forgotten his name, the Australian, I thought at the start
:29:43. > :29:47.that this could be a mistake, given they got to the final of a slam and
:29:48. > :29:49.everything else. They did their homework about Bruno Soares and
:29:50. > :29:52.thought the combination would be the perfect mix, and they were
:29:53. > :29:59.absolutely right. And it has been a tremendous partnership so far. Two
:30:00. > :30:06.finals in 2016. Exactly, and then to change round.
:30:07. > :31:50.Foul shot? Over the net. He's saying his racket was over... We might be
:31:51. > :31:53.able to see from this angle. Definitely not touching the net, is
:31:54. > :32:09.it? That's a judgment call. Dom Inglot's racket was over the net
:32:10. > :32:11.as he hit the ball before waiting for the ball to come across the net
:32:12. > :32:24.before he could play that. The umpire, really experienced
:32:25. > :33:11.official, one of the best in the world.
:33:12. > :33:27.Such good movement of air, and feel on that ball from Mahut. The way he
:33:28. > :34:46.slides into that ball. Jamie Murray leaving the overhead
:34:47. > :34:50.for Dom Inglot after what was a terrific first serve, had to seek
:34:51. > :35:04.how that happened after that first serve. -- see how that happened.
:35:05. > :35:12.30-0 to 30-30. The second time on the British team's first serve in
:35:13. > :35:48.this set. Just long, just long. Well played,
:35:49. > :35:51.Inglot. Excellent second serve there and excellent volley. A crucial
:35:52. > :36:15.point, too. Played it very well. Benneteau wants the umpire to come
:36:16. > :36:17.down and have a look at the mark here and it is overruled, so it will
:36:18. > :36:40.be a second serve. Very important for Britain, Dom
:36:41. > :36:47.Inglot winning second serve points in that game. You feel this match
:36:48. > :36:48.could be won or lost on the percentage of second serve points
:36:49. > :37:02.won. Yes. Good quality match. You know, at
:37:03. > :37:08.this level, players are used to playing in this tough conditions.
:37:09. > :37:12.But you have to remember, in the doubles, for the rest of the year,
:37:13. > :37:20.other than Wimbledon, the Norma, regular tournaments they play no
:37:21. > :37:24.Inglot and tie breaker for the third set. For them to come out for these
:37:25. > :37:29.Davis Cup matches where they potentially have to play four hours,
:37:30. > :37:35.it's a different focus, a different concentration. It's not so easy.
:37:36. > :37:39.Doubles players these days are used to quickfire, match all over in an
:37:40. > :37:42.hour. They come here and it could be four hours. As I say, different
:37:43. > :37:49.focus, different concentration level. The president of the French
:37:50. > :38:00.tennis Association. There he is, playing cheerleader. He's on the ITF
:38:01. > :38:04.board of directors, as well. It's Julian Benneteau here, the
:38:05. > :38:06.35-year-old, to serve and stay in the set for France. 5-6 in the first
:38:07. > :38:28.set. It's close! Really close. And
:38:29. > :38:32.Dominic Inglot wants the umpire to take a look here. No... The wrong
:38:33. > :39:49.line. There we go! It's that one. The accuracy of serving from the
:39:50. > :39:51.French team so far has been so good that, especially Jamie Murray,
:39:52. > :39:58.they're not giving him the same look. Always changing it up. Into
:39:59. > :40:07.the body, kicking it down the middle, swerving it wide.
:40:08. > :41:14.That's the time to do a double fault, if you're going to do one.
:41:15. > :41:22.Oooh. Two double points out of three points, from 40-0 up. That means we
:41:23. > :41:28.have the first deuce of the match. With France serving to stay on the
:41:29. > :41:34.set. Britain two points away, if they can keep this run of points
:41:35. > :41:36.going. A tight second serve, sort of in the middle of the net, just
:41:37. > :41:59.pulled down completely on it. Awkward return, and it's set from
:42:00. > :43:09.nowhere. Yes! Murray down the line. Knew it
:43:10. > :43:48.the moment he'd struck that backhand.
:43:49. > :43:54.Suddenly lost his rhythm on his first serve, with two double faults,
:43:55. > :44:03.and to go for that speed on the second serve set point against...
:44:04. > :44:06.Very brave serve. Dan Evans in the role of cheerleader number one, it
:44:07. > :44:32.seems, today, on the British bench. Phenomenal return from Murray. That
:44:33. > :44:38.was 213 kilometres per hour, down the middle.
:44:39. > :44:46.On this stretch, to get that back in play and forth and are. He did very
:44:47. > :44:51.well there, but Benneteau, easy mid-court forehand, just pulled off
:44:52. > :44:59.the ball. He is so tight in this game. Third set point.
:45:00. > :45:10.Went the wrong way! Big chance. Such a good return, as well. It looked to
:45:11. > :45:15.me like he changed his mind here. Ball comes here and he's thinking,
:45:16. > :45:17.do I go down the line? I think he just changed his mind. That was a
:45:18. > :46:08.big ball to miss. A long time ago in this game France
:46:09. > :46:15.had 40-0, three game points then. They've been through quite a bit
:46:16. > :47:25.since then, saving set point, four deuces.
:47:26. > :47:32.Finally, Benneteau gets it done. Inglot not so sure on the serve.
:47:33. > :47:39.Just clipping the edge of the side line.
:47:40. > :47:47.That was a very, very important hold, obviously, serving to stay in
:47:48. > :47:55.the set. To get it done three break points down, into a tie-break we go.
:47:56. > :47:57.Considering the set of tennis we've seen, 48 minutes of play, probably
:47:58. > :48:48.the rightful way to decide things. A punchy return from Dominic Inglot.
:48:49. > :48:55.First strike, Britain. A dangerous player to serve against, Dom Inglot.
:48:56. > :48:59.Not very often where he hits a chip return or just want to get it back,
:49:00. > :49:01.goes for it every time. When he sees in the middle of the strings, it
:49:02. > :50:01.comes off his racket extremely fast. What a half-volley that was. From
:50:02. > :50:06.Inglot. What a return. Just got that racket out in front, didn't lift up
:50:07. > :50:12.his head, stayed calm on it. Excellent recovery. Willing it over
:50:13. > :50:16.the line, wasn't he? He knew if it was going in it would be the most
:50:17. > :52:04.awkward position to play a backhand from.
:52:05. > :52:41.4-3, point against the serve and two Jamie Murray service points to come.
:52:42. > :52:49.Just snatched at that volley. An excellent backhand volley there from
:52:50. > :52:57.Jamie Murray, as well. Just see this one here, just kept it nice and
:52:58. > :53:00.deep. Dom Inglot, can't miss that volley from that position... Just
:53:01. > :53:05.pulling the racket head down, snatching at the ball.
:53:06. > :53:10.Second point against the Jamie Murray serve in the whole match so
:53:11. > :53:30.far. You win as a team and lose as a team
:53:31. > :53:38.in doubles, that's the thing that stuck in a absolutely. You could see
:53:39. > :53:39.the Inglot miss, the disappointment on Murray's face. Have to shut them
:53:40. > :54:27.out and move on. Mahut to serve. Just as Lucas Pouille turned the
:54:28. > :54:33.tie-break round against Great Britain's Kyle Edmund yesterday,
:54:34. > :54:40.from 5-2. Hear from 4-1 down, France have turned this into their
:54:41. > :54:45.advantage. 6-5. They have a set point of their own. It's on the
:54:46. > :55:00.Inglot serve, though. Julian Benneteau to receive.
:55:01. > :55:10.It's just wide! They thought it was in. Very late call, in fact the
:55:11. > :55:15.umpire, I think, got there before the line judge had considered his
:55:16. > :55:25.options. But definitely wide. 6-6 it is. Fantastic stuff, isn't it? Where
:55:26. > :55:31.ever you are watching this, I know there is a blot on this sporting
:55:32. > :55:36.weekend, but this is great. Davis Cup quarterfinal action, indoors in
:55:37. > :55:41.Rouen, the capital of Normandy in the northern France region. Four
:55:42. > :55:45.world-class players battling it out here. We don't even know who's going
:55:46. > :55:57.to win the first set, let alone the match.
:55:58. > :56:03.The deputy president of the Lawn Tennis Association on his feet. Also
:56:04. > :57:08.on the International tennis board of directors.
:57:09. > :57:20.Very good jamming serve Andy Murray -- Jamie Murray.
:57:21. > :57:39.Can't give Murray enough room to get a full swing on that ground stroke.
:57:40. > :58:10.Benneteau turned it round. He thought he was in trouble with those
:58:11. > :58:18.double faults in the 12th game, but he's turned it on in the tie-break.
:58:19. > :58:25.It's now seven sets out of seven this weekend for a dominant French
:58:26. > :58:27.team, and Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau start this doubles rubber
:58:28. > :58:39.as they mean to go on. That really was a high quality set
:58:40. > :58:41.of tennis from both teams but being caught side I found something
:58:42. > :58:45.interesting. About halfway through that sets you will notice the French
:58:46. > :58:50.team decided to play both players at the back of the port when they are
:58:51. > :58:53.returning serve. At about 3-3 in the first set eyes on Nicolas Mahut,
:58:54. > :58:57.bearing mind he is the number one doubles player in the world, looked
:58:58. > :59:03.over at his bench, asking them if he should stay back or stay at the net.
:59:04. > :59:06.What does that as? Probably that they're not quite sure of the
:59:07. > :59:11.correct strategy to go about this match. Also, think of it, that
:59:12. > :59:14.really doesn't happen in a regular tour match. Normally you are out
:59:15. > :59:19.there by yourself. Think of that from the Davis Cup point of view. So
:59:20. > :59:23.many more people, looking over to Yannick Noah just for some
:59:24. > :59:26.reassurance, what are the right tactics to go about this? He ended
:59:27. > :59:31.up, Julien Benneteau with a little wobble at the end but got through
:59:32. > :59:34.it. A lot of tennis to be played still and hopefully the British team
:59:35. > :59:47.can bounce back and put up a fight going forwards.
:59:48. > :59:55.Jamie Murray served so well in that first set. It must be demoralising
:59:56. > :00:00.to be on the wrong side of it. The best of five sets, a long way to go.
:00:01. > :00:05.There is the really experienced French coach, talking to the team
:00:06. > :00:09.captain, Yannick Noah. He has coached pretty much everyone in
:00:10. > :00:17.France, hasn't he? Men and women, yes. I think Jamie Murray, actually,
:00:18. > :00:22.was the best player on the court, even though the British team lost
:00:23. > :00:31.that set. For me, he was the best player. Dom Inglot had some very
:00:32. > :00:37.good shots, but unfortunately, a couple of crucial balls missed. The
:00:38. > :00:44.British doubles coach is just behind, walking off to the right. He
:00:45. > :00:49.has been working in British tennis for a long time now, and he is a
:00:50. > :00:53.real doubles specialist coach, isn't he? He has been watching the match
:00:54. > :01:00.from the presidential area, behind the court, rather than at the side,
:01:01. > :01:05.where the coaches would normally watch from, just to get a different
:01:06. > :01:09.perspective. When you are sitting on the bench, when you are the captain,
:01:10. > :01:13.the coach, or the players, it is the worst view, and very difficult to
:01:14. > :01:17.get a feel for the match from that angle. Behind the court is the best
:01:18. > :01:22.place to be, and you can spot things that you can't from the side of the
:01:23. > :01:26.coach. When they come to the baseline, he can give them a little
:01:27. > :01:35.chat while they are serving as well, so it is a double winner.
:01:36. > :01:45.So, France to serve first. Nicolas Mahut, 38 weeks at world number one,
:01:46. > :02:06.in his first week away from the top spot since before Wimbledon.
:02:07. > :04:47.It is a player from Finland who has taken over that spot this week.
:04:48. > :05:03.This is only Nicolas Mahut's sixth Davis Cup tie at the age of 35. It
:05:04. > :05:09.was his debut only two years ago. France have had an embarrassment of
:05:10. > :05:16.riches in the singles game. Gasquet, Simon. You could name a team of
:05:17. > :05:17.singles players and then team them up in the doubles in any
:05:18. > :05:29.combination. Almost regard and of who they field,
:05:30. > :05:38.you know it will be a good team. Larger and Benneteau played together
:05:39. > :06:13.more than any other nomination. -- Llodra.
:06:14. > :06:29.Oh! Nice move! You have to react. Not sure what you would call that
:06:30. > :06:43.shot, really. Lucky? He has got such quick hands at the
:06:44. > :06:47.net on the volley. Lucky to a certain extent, and he apologised
:06:48. > :06:57.there, but you still have to have skill to carry that out. How many of
:06:58. > :07:02.those volleys that they practice with balls hit at him at 100 mph
:07:03. > :07:10.when he's standing right on top of the net, he has to reflex the ball
:07:11. > :07:16.back or get hit. They have opened the gates to the concourse one game
:07:17. > :07:25.early, and there are lots of spectators milling around. Everyone
:07:26. > :07:32.back in their seats in time to see that excellent backhand return from
:07:33. > :07:36.Jamie Murray. A couple of those now. She looks a bit nervous, doesn't
:07:37. > :09:40.she? It doesn't get any easier for her, watching her boys.
:09:41. > :09:47.Tactically, they seem well set up by Leon Smith and the team, don't they?
:09:48. > :09:55.Just a few adventurous moments, a couple of volleys from England that
:09:56. > :09:59.he will not want to see again. Apart from that, is there anything else
:10:00. > :10:02.that Great Britain could do? Not really. With Dom Inglot, you get
:10:03. > :10:09.what you get on the court with him. He goes for balls all the time. You
:10:10. > :10:14.have to hope, and he can do these periods where he gets some good
:10:15. > :10:21.returns in a row. At the moment, he is a little bit iffy - one good shot
:10:22. > :10:25.and then hasn't made any plays. Jamie Murray, on the other hand, has
:10:26. > :10:30.been more consistent, the better of the two players. Dom Inglot,
:10:31. > :10:35.unfortunately, in this type of class match, it comes down to one or two
:10:36. > :10:38.points, and a big point was the set point where he had the backhand
:10:39. > :10:44.ground stroke. Do we blame all of it on him for that? Know. But that was
:10:45. > :10:51.the difference in that set. It is so touch and go. It is a long way
:10:52. > :10:53.before the end of this match. -- do we blame all of it on him for that?
:10:54. > :11:56.No. I think the French team will be
:11:57. > :12:03.concentrating their main attack when they are on the baseline, and when
:12:04. > :12:04.they get a second job, they will go against Inglot much more than Jamie
:12:05. > :12:21.Murray up at the net. I'm trying to think if Jamie Murray
:12:22. > :12:41.has missed a volley yet. I can't remember one that he has missed.
:12:42. > :13:06.This second set could be just as tight as the first. There is
:13:07. > :13:39.Pierre-Hugues Herbert to the left of the camera, with Lucas Pouille.
:13:40. > :13:47.Jamie Murray made the wrong call here. The French team weren't close
:13:48. > :13:49.enough to the net to hit the lob, and he knew that, it was the wrong
:13:50. > :15:14.shot selection. What an opportunity it is for these
:15:15. > :15:22.two men, Benneteau and Mahut, to wrap up this type of France. It is
:15:23. > :15:31.unusual for a doubles pair to be the team that get any nation over the
:15:32. > :15:37.line. That is what France can do. This comes so many years after they
:15:38. > :15:43.first played together. They were never paired up by the French
:15:44. > :15:52.federation. They first played together professionally in an ITF
:15:53. > :16:00.event in 1999. They have played regularly together in the 2000
:16:01. > :16:04.series as teenagers. Still 15 years ago. And on the ATP Tour the
:16:05. > :16:09.following year, they met, so they know each other so well, back to
:16:10. > :16:15.front. Inside out. And teamed up again this year to win the title in
:16:16. > :16:18.Marseille, their first as a pair since 2009, is what a great story it
:16:19. > :16:26.would be if they could lead France to victory. -- so what a great
:16:27. > :16:48.story. They have got all the support they need.
:16:49. > :17:49.Did well there. I thought for a moment he had misjudged it and it
:17:50. > :18:06.was going to be too low for him. He thumped that away.
:18:07. > :21:33.That was an excellent volley there from Inglot. Big point as well.
:21:34. > :21:37.Benneteau has certainly got his serve together since that
:21:38. > :21:45.troublesome game at the end of the first set. He has now dropped just
:21:46. > :21:56.one point on serve in the second set. And on we go, going with serve.
:21:57. > :22:00.A semifinal place for the winners this weekend here in Rouen. The
:22:01. > :22:08.winners of this will play the winners of the Serbia- Spain tie.
:22:09. > :22:12.Events overnight in Brisbane, whether USA got back into it against
:22:13. > :22:17.Australia. Australia were 2-0 after the first day, but the USA won the
:22:18. > :22:23.doubles in five sets, coming from behind, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock.
:22:24. > :22:34.That was a fantastic effort from them. Thrills and spills in store on
:22:35. > :23:45.the final day out there. Belgium- Italy is the other quarterfinal.
:23:46. > :23:55.It was a great attempt by Benneteau, not missed by much. That match. --
:23:56. > :24:25.that much. Jamie Murray has served very
:24:26. > :26:35.impressively today, looked very confident.
:26:36. > :26:49.How has he missed that? On top of the net... I don't mean to juggle,
:26:50. > :26:55.but it is nice sometimes to see the professionals do this sort of stuff
:26:56. > :27:24.that we do, week in, week out. What is that we there? Sorry, John!
:27:25. > :27:34.Benneteau was going to get into the trouble he did on serve in the first
:27:35. > :27:52.set when he was 40-0 up. Here is Mahut from 40-0. A terrible mess at
:27:53. > :27:56.the net. A double fault. -- miss. Pressure on Dominic Inglot, who is
:27:57. > :28:01.up to serve next, serving to stay in the set. Surely an absolute must win
:28:02. > :28:10.set from a British point of view. Yeah. They start them young, as they
:28:11. > :28:25.always do, here in France. Just talking about Jamie Murray
:28:26. > :28:32.being very solid today, and he has played an excellent match. On the
:28:33. > :28:41.opposite side, Nicolas Mahut has been the more solid. His standard
:28:42. > :28:46.very rarely drops. He is always there, and very consistent, does
:28:47. > :28:50.things very simply, not a flashy player. Not as much flair as some of
:28:51. > :28:59.the French players, but the bread and butter shots he just makes -
:29:00. > :29:05.serve and volley, returns. Just a good, solid player. Benneteau, we
:29:06. > :29:08.have seen patches of brilliance, as we have seen from Dominic Inglot,
:29:09. > :29:14.but also a couple of moments where his game has dipped. You have to
:29:15. > :31:20.keep the level and back the other player up in doubles.
:31:21. > :31:35.Very good return from Jamie Murray. Followed up by Inglot.
:31:36. > :33:46.What a time it would be for Britain to break serve here.
:33:47. > :33:55.That's brilliant from Murray. That second volley is right in the
:33:56. > :34:03.corner. He's been superb today. He really has. Unorthodox, that
:34:04. > :34:31.forehand volley. But it's very effective! How do you do that?
:34:32. > :34:43.Different call from Benneteau. Deuce in the game. Played so well
:34:44. > :34:48.yesterday, getting France off to the best possible start. Now things are
:34:49. > :35:02.getting a little twitchy again for the locals.
:35:03. > :35:19.And again, it's Jamie Murray stepping up. It's break Britain. --
:35:20. > :35:21.break point for Britain. 40-15 in the game...
:35:22. > :35:58.Never nice knowing that you've let your partner down at times during a
:35:59. > :36:03.match, and that's how Dominic Inglot will have felt in periods of this.
:36:04. > :36:11.But look at this. That is the way to erase those memories. Absolutely
:36:12. > :36:15.right. First break of the match. What a superb 1-2-macro combination
:36:16. > :36:23.from Inglot. So good. You are right for me needed that. Doubles,
:36:24. > :36:26.obviously, you help your partner. The level drops... He didn't play
:36:27. > :36:32.bad in the first set, Dom Inglot, but on a couple of crucial points he
:36:33. > :36:37.made errors. He knew it, but boy did he repay the favour there. What a
:36:38. > :36:41.point. The job's not quite done yet, though. The French pair will come at
:36:42. > :36:53.the British team here on this service game.
:36:54. > :37:10.Only four points dropped in total on the Murray serve in the match and
:37:11. > :37:22.we've played for an hour and 37 minutes. Briton serving for the set.
:37:23. > :37:48.-- Great Britain serving for the set.
:37:49. > :38:00.That serve sat a bit, didn't really go through the court.
:38:01. > :38:08.Sounded like Yannick Noah was telling Mahut to chip this ball, the
:38:09. > :38:13.return of serve. That's what it looks like, don't know if that's
:38:14. > :38:29.what you were saying... We will see. -- he was saying.
:38:30. > :39:10.Not easy this, either, buying and -- banged heavily, at full stretch.
:39:11. > :39:21.Again, look at the serve from Murray.
:39:22. > :39:36.Just needed the one of them. First set of the weekend. For Leon Smith's
:39:37. > :39:40.men. Jamie Murray has been absolutely superb, and just when he
:39:41. > :39:45.needed his partner to step up at the end of the set, Dom Inglot raised
:39:46. > :39:53.his game. Britain deserve to be level. A fine match. One hour and 40
:39:54. > :39:58.minutes played. And we are level at 1-1. It is best of five, of course,
:39:59. > :40:03.did decide this rubber, which Britain have to win to stay in the
:40:04. > :40:08.tie. It's a huge challenge from here, to win this with the reverse
:40:09. > :40:12.singles to come. Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund tomorrow. Evans, being the
:40:13. > :40:17.number one player, will be up against Lucas Pouille first
:40:18. > :40:21.tomorrow, if the tie is still alive. Well, you have to make Lucas Pouille
:40:22. > :40:25.a strong favourite for that one on the evidence of what we saw
:40:26. > :40:33.yesterday. But that's for another day. For now, Britain just want to
:40:34. > :40:38.keep it going into the Sunday. Inglot and Murray are doing their
:40:39. > :40:44.thing, John. They're doing well. They hung in there after losing the
:40:45. > :40:48.first set, disappointing. It was touch and go, it could have swung
:40:49. > :40:53.their way. The second set, they did well. That belief. Dom Inglot came
:40:54. > :40:57.through with the shot of the match with that top-spin forehand lob, to
:40:58. > :41:02.get the break. Jamie Murray, who has been absolutely superb on his
:41:03. > :41:08.service game so far, served it out with ease. Very good performance by
:41:09. > :41:12.the British pair. They are combining well now. They seem to have their
:41:13. > :41:15.confidence back. Jamie Murray has been rock solid the whole match.
:41:16. > :41:21.He's been the best player on the court.
:41:22. > :41:26.But the French team, Julien Benneteau, he's been the weak link.
:41:27. > :41:32.He's been the one who's tended to get a little nervous on big points.
:41:33. > :41:33.Mahut has been, like Jamie Murray, solid throughout, but hasn't quite
:41:34. > :41:53.been able to lift his partner yet. You often see Gasquet leaning in,
:41:54. > :42:00.supporting his team-mates, get them going. To get them to win the match
:42:01. > :43:52.and finished the tie. Although these Frenchmen have
:43:53. > :43:56.excellent memories of Wimbledon. Nicolas Mahut having a swig, the
:43:57. > :44:02.reigning Wimbledon doubles champion with Herbert. There is Richard
:44:03. > :44:07.Gasquet. That is coincidental, Gasquet partnered Julien Benneteau
:44:08. > :44:13.to bronze in the London 2012 Olympics. Which may sound like,
:44:14. > :44:17.what's the point in that? I was on Court One and I don't think I saw
:44:18. > :44:21.another celebration like I did when Julien Benneteau won the bronze
:44:22. > :44:31.medal that day. He was absolutely delirious.
:44:32. > :44:41.They'd beaten the Spanish pair, effectively the third and fourth. It
:44:42. > :44:46.was a brilliant crowd on Court One, and when they converted match point,
:44:47. > :44:53.Benneteau went wild. He started running around the court. Gasquet
:44:54. > :44:59.was looking at him as if to say, hey, mate, it's not that good! The
:45:00. > :45:04.point was, to Benneteau it was that good. Yes. And to him, that moment
:45:05. > :46:39.with everything, winning an Olympic medal.
:46:40. > :46:45.The return from Jamie Murray we were talking about in the first set to
:46:46. > :46:50.deduct a really effective player, blocking that forehand lob into the
:46:51. > :47:48.backhand corner. Misjudging it on that occasion.
:47:49. > :47:54.Oooh! Did you see that?! How did he do that? We need another look at
:47:55. > :48:39.this, folks. This is a classic. Still trying to work out which side
:48:40. > :48:42.of the racket he hit that wed. Where on earth the wrist was positioned.
:48:43. > :49:09.-- he hit that with. Very animated with Benneteau. As he
:49:10. > :49:14.came to the changeover was like, that's what you can do, come on. He
:49:15. > :49:17.knows he's the one that's just been struggling a little bit. It's all
:49:18. > :49:28.encouragement, though, it's all positive.
:49:29. > :49:39.Excellent yesterday, beating Dan Evans, Jeremy Chardy. Would play the
:49:40. > :50:03.fifth and final rubber, if it came to it.
:50:04. > :50:14.A lot of chat on both benches and that particular changeover. -- in
:50:15. > :51:33.that particular change over. Murray to serve.
:51:34. > :51:59.On the line from Benneteau... No, Inglot's not so sure.
:52:00. > :52:13.No, that was a good 1-2 from the French. The stretch from Mahut to
:52:14. > :52:19.get it back in court and then the Benneteau shot, just to get their
:52:20. > :52:52.team... At 15-30, a little opening here.
:52:53. > :53:04.Oooh, a miss from Inglot, which leaves Great Britain break point
:53:05. > :53:42.down. 15-40. Two chances now for France.
:53:43. > :53:50.First break points that Britain have faced in the whole match. The set
:53:51. > :53:57.they lost was on a tie-break. A couple of those, Benneteau, those
:53:58. > :54:43.stretch backhand returns. He will be annoyed at himself there,
:54:44. > :54:46.Mahut. In that Riley, should not have missed that forehand. -- in
:54:47. > :55:30.that rally. The first of those two rallies,
:55:31. > :55:34.Inglot... Got him in trouble for the second one. We'll do well to get
:55:35. > :55:39.through this game. Jamie Murray has just lost his bid on his first serve
:55:40. > :55:44.little bit. Holding down, dipping and missing a few at the net. Needs
:55:45. > :56:13.to stay up on the ball, hit up on the ball.
:56:14. > :56:56.And they do get through the game, from 15-40 down.
:56:57. > :57:04.It's going to be tense from here on in, isn't it? The deeper we go into
:57:05. > :57:10.the match, the more chances will come for both sides.
:57:11. > :57:27.There we go, that's the play we've been talking about from Jamie
:57:28. > :57:31.Murray, and it works. It's really effective. Not many players have
:57:32. > :57:37.that shot in the doubles game, that fast lob, offensive lob. Players
:57:38. > :57:41.stand so close to the net but they feel confident they will get those
:57:42. > :57:44.overheads, so they are prepared to stay up close and tight on the net
:57:45. > :58:03.and occasionally it can work. Jamie Murray, he's worked so hard on
:58:04. > :58:07.his doubles. He's managed to sort of camouflage his weaknesses. The
:58:08. > :58:15.forehand return, he's turned it into a different type of return.
:58:16. > :58:22.Unlucky. That's why was saying, with that forehand, Block set, but he
:58:23. > :58:30.makes a lot of returns. Not an easy shot to hit, the volleys, rolling
:58:31. > :58:35.the backhand. Sometimes he will lob of the forehand side. Doesn't really
:58:36. > :58:37.come over the ball on his forehand, doesn't really have that shot, that
:58:38. > :58:54.his weakness. Just missed a couple of those. It's
:58:55. > :59:00.been quite effective on the first return of serve, Dom Inglot but it's
:59:01. > :59:08.the second shot where he has missed quite a few of those backhands from
:59:09. > :59:24.mid-court areas. 30-30, should have made that, that was a big point.
:59:25. > :00:25.The first of there, keeps his hands up on the second one, keeps them up
:00:26. > :00:30.in front. You can see right away, the racket is up high. No backswing
:00:31. > :00:47.whatsoever on that volley. No time for a backswing.
:00:48. > :00:56.Well, that's just scintillating stuff there from Mahut. Excellent
:00:57. > :01:05.return of serve. It's that punch forehand ground stroke, just plunges
:01:06. > :01:12.ahead. Excellent volley. He doesn't seem to be getting into the net as
:01:13. > :01:15.quick as normal, Mahut. He is behind the service line, which is not a
:01:16. > :01:24.place where you want to be on the volley.
:01:25. > :01:32.It went off the body of Benneteau rather than the racket, didn't it?
:01:33. > :01:36.But he didn't say anything. It deflects. The I think you try to
:01:37. > :01:47.keep that quiet. Look, look. It almost knocked him over, though!
:01:48. > :01:52.That is what gave it away! Is quite nice chest control.
:01:53. > :02:08.That is a good call. That is a good call! Mahut there was about to
:02:09. > :02:30.swing, then, are you sure? And left it. Good call.
:02:31. > :02:41.Oh, yes! What a point! How on earth did they win that rally? This is
:02:42. > :02:45.turning out to be the best game of the match, with the shotmaking
:02:46. > :02:59.that's gone on here. No thought of winning that rally from that shot.
:03:00. > :03:05.Lob volley. No suspicion that shot was going to go where it did, hence
:03:06. > :03:19.the speed of the backtracking. Deuce again.
:03:20. > :03:26.What a lob! Let's not forget that this comes at the part of the game
:03:27. > :03:33.were Jamie Murray saved two break points. They have a chance of their
:03:34. > :03:39.own on the Mahut serve. Mahut, who has been dominant throughout. Now,
:03:40. > :03:54.break point down. There it is! The skills on display
:03:55. > :04:02.from a British point of view in that game. Well might Judy Murray be
:04:03. > :04:11.smiling, because her son Jamie and Dom Inglot have the break in the
:04:12. > :04:15.third set and lead 3-2. Let's have another look, John, at that
:04:16. > :04:18.extraordinary shot from Jamie Murray two games ago, which feels like a
:04:19. > :04:28.long time ago. When you see it from that angle... Outstanding, isn't it?
:04:29. > :04:30.He flicks the racket back. How he won that point from there I do not
:04:31. > :05:13.know. So, 3-2. The games are getting
:05:14. > :05:16.closer, tighter. That last game is what you want when you play as a
:05:17. > :05:19.double thing when you buy play at your best in one game, and that is
:05:20. > :05:23.what Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot bid to make the break. They were both
:05:24. > :05:28.superb at the same time. A well-deserved break, excellent
:05:29. > :05:47.shotmaking from both players. The French team are up against it now.
:05:48. > :05:57.Excellent, excellent play now. This is why having a personality like him
:05:58. > :06:11.is good in a situation like this. He's not going to go into his shell,
:06:12. > :06:14.however he might be playing. He is still going to want to be a
:06:15. > :06:20.personality on the court. That's right. He has that in his favour.
:06:21. > :06:36.Starting with that wonderful lob to get the break in the second set.
:06:37. > :06:46.Well, that's just... That's just a bit of a mess. And sometimes it
:06:47. > :06:50.happens. It does! You can do all the clever science behind your back all
:06:51. > :06:52.day long, but sometimes, you just chase the same ball. Get out of the
:06:53. > :07:21.way! It's mine! A phenomenal return from Benneteau.
:07:22. > :07:24.They haven't broken yet, and they may not, but this is the best
:07:25. > :07:27.returning game they have played in the whole match, and after they have
:07:28. > :07:37.had the disappointment of losing their serve. Putting the pressure
:07:38. > :07:41.right back on the British team. Dom Inglot needs some big serves now to
:07:42. > :08:06.get himself out of trouble. There is one.
:08:07. > :08:53.Three big first serves in a row from 15-40.
:08:54. > :09:07.That's just superb play. A lot of credit there for both the British
:09:08. > :09:09.birds, but especially from Dom Inglot. Big first serves, right in
:09:10. > :11:58.the corner. Jamie Murray really just carrying on
:11:59. > :12:07.the form here. This is perhaps the first time you've seen him this
:12:08. > :12:13.season. Last year, he rose to number one in the world along with his
:12:14. > :12:20.younger brother. It looks like his form will continue. There is the
:12:21. > :12:25.scope are a lot of success with his partner, Bruno Soares. Wimbledon, of
:12:26. > :12:32.course, would be a dream for Jamie to win that. He won the mixed
:12:33. > :12:34.doubles a decade ago now. The men's doubles title would be lovely. Judy
:12:35. > :12:59.has brought some supplies! Walking through the old town of
:13:00. > :13:10.Rouen earlier, pastry temptations on every corner. Unbelievable. The
:13:11. > :13:17.cheese board as well. Extensive is not the word. Right, back to the
:13:18. > :13:31.tennis. Tummies are rumbling. It is for - three. Murray to serve.
:13:32. > :14:34.That was a tough volley to make. That was an excellent return of
:14:35. > :15:04.serve from Mahut, taking that volley so early.
:15:05. > :15:14.So good. That is so good. Inglot there being put under tremendous
:15:15. > :15:18.pressure. They are targeting him here with the volleys. To put that
:15:19. > :15:24.ball that wide from that position, then following up... He made the
:15:25. > :15:54.overhead look easy, and it wasn't. That was a big point.
:15:55. > :16:04.You can almost see Inglot knowing that that second serve return is
:16:05. > :16:11.coming right at him, but it is so low that it is difficult for him to
:16:12. > :16:15.do very much with it. That is the third British service game in a row
:16:16. > :16:25.in which they have faced break points, and they have survived in
:16:26. > :16:34.the previous two. They survive for now in this one. Five break points
:16:35. > :16:39.now saved in the set by Britain. Dan Evans to the right, and young
:16:40. > :16:42.Cameron Norrie to the left. Studying out in the states on a scholarship,
:16:43. > :17:14.in Texas. The adjustment from Murray there at
:17:15. > :17:17.the last minute. Mahut just keeps dumping that return down the line,
:17:18. > :17:22.no matter what they do. He is just blasting it down there, and at the
:17:23. > :17:44.moment, he is seeing the ball so well and so early.
:17:45. > :18:03.Oh! Takes it from right in front of Jamie Murray's knows. -- right in
:18:04. > :18:20.front of Jamie Murray's knows. Just about to dispatch that.
:18:21. > :18:55.Was that focus? I think so. The smart money is on focus. For- four.
:18:56. > :19:01.That is the first time that Britain have lost their serve in the whole
:19:02. > :19:33.match. A really decent effort from them so far.
:19:34. > :19:50.That would probably have been an easy shop it -- shot if he hadn't
:19:51. > :19:55.turned round. Well-stocked! You take evasive action, because if that had
:19:56. > :19:58.been a full-blooded smash from Benneteau... Actually, it came off
:19:59. > :20:07.the frame and just trickled over towards him.
:20:08. > :20:15.That is a lovely volley. He has got such good technique, Mahut, on that
:20:16. > :20:19.volley, particularly with the backhand. It is almost like he has
:20:20. > :20:24.an extra second to decide what to do. He is so far out in front on the
:20:25. > :20:27.volley, waited for Dom Inglot to make the move, and has enough class
:20:28. > :20:39.just the guide it back into the open court.
:20:40. > :20:49.That skidded through. Nothing like a love service hold after you broken
:20:50. > :20:57.for the first time in the match. And there is a renewed spring in the
:20:58. > :21:00.French step. 5-4 in this third set. A big momentum change now. And the
:21:01. > :21:07.two camps, Leon Smith has got the more difficult job at this
:21:08. > :21:12.changeover than Yannick Noah of France. They have hit some heights
:21:13. > :21:16.in the last couple of games. Particularly Mahut seems to be on
:21:17. > :21:21.fire at the moment. Whereas Leon Smith has to calm it down a bit.
:21:22. > :21:24.There were a couple of miscommunication volleys in the
:21:25. > :21:32.British team. Both got a little agitated. He has to calm them down
:21:33. > :21:51.now. Back on serve, no big deal. Tie-break looming in this match.
:21:52. > :22:01.Jamie Murray tends to be the leader in these teams. It looks like he is
:22:02. > :22:04.all encouragement, every words just encouragement to his partner. Not
:22:05. > :22:16.even one negative thought, nothing about what they might do, just do
:22:17. > :22:27.it. For- two in the set. Dom Inglot serving to stay in it.
:22:28. > :23:06.Outstanding second serve there from Inglot. Comes up so high on this
:23:07. > :23:13.clay-court, jumps up high. Puts a lot of work on the ball.
:23:14. > :23:29.Hello! Didn't think he had that shot. You would expect Jamie Murray
:23:30. > :23:35.to hit that shot, not Dom Inglot. Beautifully played, you can't get
:23:36. > :23:42.better feel than that. What a game that was. Rebound after the
:23:43. > :23:45.disappointment, come back and play a love service game. Just no big deal.
:23:46. > :24:00.That was absolutely what the doctor ordered for the British team.
:24:01. > :24:39.The British medical and physiotherapy staff there.
:24:40. > :25:27.He always seems to get easy leads on his serve, Benneteau.
:25:28. > :25:38.That is unbelievable from Benneteau. This would be probably the best
:25:39. > :25:42.volley we have seen today. That was unbelievable. Jamie Murray, all over
:25:43. > :25:44.the net there and I had to be perfect to get it away from him.
:25:45. > :26:04.This is some doubles. After that flurry of games with
:26:05. > :26:10.break points midway through the set, are we heading towards another
:26:11. > :26:16.tie-break? There will be pressure on Jamie Murray to come out and serve
:26:17. > :26:18.to stay in this set. He has faced break points in both of his service
:26:19. > :26:40.games so far. It is a terrific match, John, isn't
:26:41. > :26:44.it? Get further emphasises why whatever happens in the future of
:26:45. > :26:51.the Davis Cup, this middle Saturday, double stay, has to remain best of
:26:52. > :26:55.five. Absolutely. Don't tinker with Saturday! We put that in the book 's
:26:56. > :27:08.an do not mess around with that day in Davis Cup. -- we put that in the
:27:09. > :27:16.book -. Here is the brass section, who have not stopped all weekend. It
:27:17. > :27:27.has generated a fantastic atmosphere. There is a lot of talk
:27:28. > :27:31.about the Davis Cup and how the competition perhaps needs to change
:27:32. > :27:35.to attract the best players in the world for every type, but when you
:27:36. > :27:37.are here, in amongst it, you cannot deny that it's a fantastic event. --
:27:38. > :28:01.for every tie. At the moment, does it really matter
:28:02. > :28:07.to the spectators that Andy Murray, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
:28:08. > :28:18.are not out there? What they are seen, particularly from Nicholas
:28:19. > :28:23.Mahut, on the return... He's getting every ball down the line on return.
:28:24. > :28:30.He just doesn't seem to be going crosscourt. I was thinking before
:28:31. > :28:33.this game it would be wise for Jamie Murray to serve a few to the
:28:34. > :28:37.forehand because his backhand has been so good, then he did serve it
:28:38. > :28:56.to his forehand and he thumped a winner down the line.
:28:57. > :29:04.That's a close call. Close, but it doesn't look like they are going to
:29:05. > :29:09.dispute it at all. It went like that might write on the line. At this
:29:10. > :29:24.stage on the match, you might have a little look down there. Jamie
:29:25. > :29:33.Murray's had 15-30 at this point in every game.
:29:34. > :29:43.Come of it! That is magnificent. I thought Jamie Murray had rescued at
:29:44. > :29:48.that point somehow. From this position... And then... Really? To
:29:49. > :29:49.hit that shot like that at this crucial stage of the match! That's
:29:50. > :30:17.just too much. They've got away with it, they've
:30:18. > :30:25.got away with it. There was hesitation again, wasn't there? From
:30:26. > :30:29.? That error of going with four Murray's ball in the previous game
:30:30. > :30:46.on his mind. They got away with it, set point saved.
:30:47. > :31:21.And the second! Good serve, Jamie Murray, very good serve.
:31:22. > :31:59.Fantastic serve again, right in the corner. Two in a row.
:32:00. > :32:09.Did Jamie Murray call that first one out? I think you may have. Called
:32:10. > :32:14.that one out, and I don't think it was going out. Too fast at him,
:32:15. > :32:33.anyway, he had no time. And again, down the line. So good.
:32:34. > :32:40.How did he get that forehand out that way? It was a good serve.
:32:41. > :32:44.Almost jammed. Look at the way he improvised their. And back again,
:32:45. > :32:49.the same way. That is just fantastic play.
:32:50. > :32:55.Eight break points to one in France's favour in this third set
:32:56. > :33:16.and another set point. Can't believe it. Double find.
:33:17. > :33:21.Benneteau has raced back to the chair. -- double fault. Huge
:33:22. > :33:26.celebrations. The French pair know they have done a big, big job in
:33:27. > :33:34.that set, coming from 4-2 down to win it. And they'll have won five
:33:35. > :33:42.out of the last six games to turn that set around, just building and
:33:43. > :33:47.building the pressure. Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau take France to
:33:48. > :33:53.just within one set of the Davis Cup semifinals. Firstly, just a quick
:33:54. > :33:58.word on your singles yesterday, how did you think the match went? It was
:33:59. > :34:03.tough. Jamie is much more used to the clay than me, much better than
:34:04. > :34:08.me and that was pretty much that. -- Jeremy. I didn't have many answers
:34:09. > :34:11.for what he threw at me. How tough was that, having not played any
:34:12. > :34:15.clay-court matches in the last couple of years? I didn't feel
:34:16. > :34:18.comfortable at all. Like I said, Jeremy looked comfortable and
:34:19. > :34:24.clearly was comfortable. Pretty convincing in the end. The doubles
:34:25. > :34:27.today, Great Britain, a great match so far, it looks like it's come down
:34:28. > :34:32.to a couple of points. Anything you're seeing in particular that the
:34:33. > :34:36.boys can do? I don't know... It's tough. The French pair are playing
:34:37. > :34:41.really well. I think we had a chance in the first and third set, really.
:34:42. > :34:46.I think we can still win it, we just have to take the chances. We were a
:34:47. > :34:51.break up in that set. I think they still have it in them to win, for
:34:52. > :34:55.sure. In the recent past the Great Britain team hasn't been 2-0 down in
:34:56. > :35:00.many matches. What did you do last night to keep spirits up and fire
:35:01. > :35:04.the boys up for the match today? Is nothing different, just stayed
:35:05. > :35:13.positive. We all know it's going to be tough, but we're right up against
:35:14. > :35:17.it now. 2-1 down in the doubles, 2-0 down in the tie. We all fight pretty
:35:18. > :35:21.hard and we will see what we can do. With all the best. I hope they give
:35:22. > :35:26.you a chance to get back on the court.
:35:27. > :35:35.Dan Evans will be playing the first match on Sunday, if still live.
:35:36. > :35:43.Don't know what they do if they were dead rubbers... I imagine Leon
:35:44. > :35:48.Smith, the captain, won't think about that. If it is alive it will
:35:49. > :35:52.be Dan Evans and Lucas Pouille first up. What a match this is turning
:35:53. > :36:00.into. Two hours and 36 minutes played. Serve absolutely dominating
:36:01. > :36:03.for the first two sets. Tie-breaks along the way. Some wonderful
:36:04. > :36:08.returns on some wonderful winners and in the third set, a complete
:36:09. > :36:13.shake-up. Yes. You have to give credit to the French team. Their
:36:14. > :36:18.game, they just elevated their returns of serve all of a sudden.
:36:19. > :36:22.Particularly Mahut. He was just on fire, dominating returns down the
:36:23. > :36:26.line on almost every ball and they suddenly seemed to just jump a level
:36:27. > :36:30.when it mattered. They were inspired. The British team did well
:36:31. > :36:35.to hang in there but couldn't quite get it to the tie-breaker. An
:36:36. > :36:50.awesome set from the French team, having been down a break.
:36:51. > :36:58.In the wider scheme of the whole weekend, France leading the doubles
:36:59. > :37:06.to live in one and the match 2-0, win this set and France have won the
:37:07. > :37:10.tie. And Cuba celebrations... -- Cuba celebrations. Going by previous
:37:11. > :37:11.Davis Cup celebrations I've witnessed, they will be loud and
:37:12. > :39:42.exuberant. France happy to make the semifinals,
:39:43. > :39:47.as they did last year. They lost to Croatia in the final four. For all
:39:48. > :39:51.of their history in this competition, they have won the Davis
:39:52. > :39:57.Cup since 2001. They went to Melbourne and famously won on the
:39:58. > :40:04.grass beating the Australian team. The Australian team including
:40:05. > :40:05.Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter. Would dearly love to take his team to
:40:06. > :40:33.another final. Also played Russia in the final...
:40:34. > :40:40.Henry Matthew... Paul Henry Matthew. They were on their way to
:40:41. > :41:02.back-to-back Davis cups. Mikhail Youznhy turned it round.
:41:03. > :41:11.Argentina the reigning champions, they beat Croatia in Zagreb last
:41:12. > :41:15.year. There have been four different winners in the last four years. Six
:41:16. > :43:58.different nations have lifted the cup in the past seven.
:43:59. > :44:54.That was a bit of a mis-hit volley, but got away with it.
:44:55. > :45:00.What a rally! You won't see a better rally than that! What a point, that
:45:01. > :45:21.was just fantastic. Every shot you can imagine was in
:45:22. > :45:25.that rally. It was unbelievable. The first two sets were good. I have to
:45:26. > :45:29.say, from the middle of the third set, it's just gone to a different
:45:30. > :45:35.level. This point, this was ridiculous, how good it was. What an
:45:36. > :45:38.overhead this was from Dom Inglot. He did well to recover in the rally
:45:39. > :45:59.long before this. Yannick Noah enjoying what he just
:46:00. > :46:12.seen. His third spell as the French Davis Cup captain.
:46:13. > :46:29.2-1 France lead, 2-1 France lead in the fourth set. Two rubbers Tim
:46:30. > :46:36.Kneale they lead in the tie overall. -- to nil. Is the Davis Cup
:46:37. > :46:39.adventure coming to an end? They still believe they can turn this
:46:40. > :46:51.around from here. No reason why they can't.
:46:52. > :47:03.So good! This is really... You didn't see the Inglot one going
:47:04. > :47:07.where it did, and then you didn't see Murray going there for that. I
:47:08. > :47:10.love the way he looked a one-way and hit it the other. He looks one-way
:47:11. > :47:46.and... Great! Not much you can do about that, that
:47:47. > :47:49.was a good second serve, as well. Feet up time, isn't it, John? Just
:47:50. > :48:21.watch and admire. Even down to that serve, looked
:48:22. > :48:34.simple but it takes years to perfect a kick-serve like that, doesn't it?
:48:35. > :48:42.You look at Jamie Murray's serve, and the improvement he's made from
:48:43. > :48:47.two years ago is remarkable. It was a real weakness that time. His
:48:48. > :48:52.second serve was short, not much punch on the first. He's turned it
:48:53. > :48:53.now into a weapon. I suppose if you've been number one in the world
:48:54. > :52:43.in doubles, you have to. Key service hold from the French
:52:44. > :52:46.point of view. Isn't it great for Nicolas Mahut, is done so many great
:52:47. > :52:52.things in doubles in the last couple of years, always be remembered as
:52:53. > :52:56.being the man that played that incredible three-day match against
:52:57. > :52:59.John Isner at Wimbledon and rustic, despite winning almost every other
:53:00. > :53:04.stat in the match. But he's recovered. He could have gone away
:53:05. > :53:08.after that... Absolutely, a crushing defeat for him. Even though he was
:53:09. > :53:13.involved in one of the great stories of all time. But he's come here
:53:14. > :53:17.now... Whatever happens in his career, the same as Jamie Murray,
:53:18. > :53:22.he's been number one in the world. The best player in doubles in the
:53:23. > :53:28.world. Whatever happens other tournaments, you've been number one
:53:29. > :53:33.in the world in your profession. That is amazing. And then to win
:53:34. > :53:39.Wimbledon. Of course. Incredible. Fabulous career. When you look back
:53:40. > :53:48.at those years, ten years ago would Nicolas Mahut, he was always a
:53:49. > :53:51.player you saw at a dangerous floater at Queen's... Beat Andy
:53:52. > :53:57.Murray the year before. But no one could see this happening, towards
:53:58. > :54:00.the 30s, to be number one in doubles and still an excellent singles
:54:01. > :54:23.player for many, many years as well. A fabulous career.
:54:24. > :54:29.Talking about the clay-court doubles and how much fun it is. Even these
:54:30. > :54:33.logs you see off the return of serve, you hardly ever see that on
:54:34. > :54:36.the faster courts. It's too quick to time those lobs that here on the
:54:37. > :54:42.play we have seen some fabulous ones today. It's just a shot we don't see
:54:43. > :54:43.much in doubles, other than from Jamie Murray. But all players are
:54:44. > :56:09.using it today. He would be out there, if fit,
:56:10. > :58:48.Herbert. The way Benneteau. 'S played,
:58:49. > :58:55.Herbert might be a bit worried you won't get his place back. As France
:58:56. > :58:56.moved to a 4-3 lead and within two games, potentially, of the
:58:57. > :59:06.semifinals. I think it's just such a great
:59:07. > :59:11.story, we almost take it for granted now, that you can be in your mid-30s
:59:12. > :59:15.and still play absolutely top-level tennis. Roger Federer is doing it
:59:16. > :59:20.right now in the singles game. Doubles you see a lot more of it, a
:59:21. > :59:25.lot more players extending their careers well into their 30s. But
:59:26. > :59:29.here you have two guys who first played together weigh down in the
:59:30. > :59:37.junior ranks, when they were 11 and 12. Won junior competitions
:59:38. > :59:45.together, in the 1990s. Teamed up as a professional pair in 1999.
:59:46. > :59:52.And here we are, almost 20 years later, and they are still the best
:59:53. > :00:13.pick for their nation, both 35 years of age.
:00:14. > :01:19.It is going to be Jamie Murray to serve. 3-4, fourth set.
:01:20. > :01:37.A good folly, that one. And that one was even better. -- a good volley.
:01:38. > :03:19.Some trouble on serve in the third set. Jamie Murray has settled down
:03:20. > :03:25.and is dominant once more, as he was throughout the first two says. Two
:03:26. > :03:29.points dropped on the Murray serve in this set, which Britain have to
:03:30. > :03:37.win to keep not just this match but the whole tie alive. It is Mahut to
:03:38. > :04:55.serve next. Is a dominating service games so far
:04:56. > :05:41.from Mahut. -- a dominating service game so far from Mahut.
:05:42. > :05:48.Leon Smith, captain of this British team since 2010, Davis Cup - winning
:05:49. > :05:55.captain, of course, to make years ago. Dom Inglot will be coming out
:05:56. > :06:02.to serve to stay in the match. -- two years ago. A big responsibility.
:06:03. > :06:08.But of course, this set is still going with serve, and it is a really
:06:09. > :06:13.tight match. Is there something about it, John, where almost the
:06:14. > :06:17.captain doesn't want to overemphasise the situation? This is
:06:18. > :06:22.a match of just one or two points. If we can nick this set, from a
:06:23. > :06:29.British point of view, we can perhaps still go one and win the
:06:30. > :06:35.match. I don't know if it is tactical play, more just
:06:36. > :06:46.encouragement, belief. -- tactical talk. The colours of France flying
:06:47. > :06:50.all around the arena now in Rouen, because the spectators know the
:06:51. > :07:04.situation. She knows, he knows... They know. France are 5-4 ahead.
:07:05. > :07:12.They are two robbers to zero ahead. Win this game, and France are in the
:07:13. > :07:19.semifinals. -- two rubbers. He has played it from out-of-court! Bottom
:07:20. > :07:24.right of your screen - Nicolas Mahut. He played a shot from over
:07:25. > :07:34.the advertising hoardings! Look at this. Over he goes. Now, keep an eye
:07:35. > :07:55.on him. There! Make a good goalkeeper, he would! What a point!
:07:56. > :08:04.If they had won that point, John, it would have been one of the all-time
:08:05. > :08:58.greats. They have had a few in this match that will go viral.
:08:59. > :09:04.A love service hold, serving to stay in the match. Service now shifts to
:09:05. > :10:26.Benneteau. An excellent return of serve there
:10:27. > :10:31.from Jamie Murray, taking that serve very early, short backswing, just
:10:32. > :10:39.punching it long. A big point coming up now. We know that Dom Inglot's
:10:40. > :10:45.going to swing at this one. It depends on the quality of the serve.
:10:46. > :11:36.That's some second serve, that is. Right in the corner. 5-5, 30-30,
:11:37. > :11:41.second serve. He is an experienced player who has been there and done
:11:42. > :11:55.it many times before. Look at that - right on the line there.
:11:56. > :12:13.Three in a row, John. Three in a row, first serveds from Benneteau.
:12:14. > :12:16.-- first serves from Benneteau. Not much the British team could have
:12:17. > :12:20.done about that. They were just three excellent serves. He kicks the
:12:21. > :12:41.serve, changes the pace up. Benneteau has known success in his
:12:42. > :12:49.home nation before, winning the French Open doubles a few years
:12:50. > :12:59.back, 2014, with Roger-Vasselin. It was a first French victory at Roland
:13:00. > :13:02.Garros in the doubles since 1984. Also an Olympic medallist, and he
:13:03. > :13:16.would dearly love the Davis Cup as well. And all these supporters...
:13:17. > :13:24.Made the final in 2010 and lost to Serbia. Novak Djokovic inspired
:13:25. > :13:33.Serbia. And then a Roger Federer inspired Switzerland in 2014.
:13:34. > :13:40.We are in the same situation which we were a few minutes ago, Britain
:13:41. > :14:04.serving to stay in the match and keep it alive. 5-6, fourth set.
:14:05. > :14:12.A bit strange there from Mahut, smacking that ball down the line, he
:14:13. > :14:30.tried the oft back and Andy kick was too much for him. -- the off
:14:31. > :15:14.backhand and the kick was too much for him.
:15:15. > :15:28.That is the way to keep moving forwards on the volley. No
:15:29. > :15:32.hesitation there from Murray. SUE BARKER: Just to say, a warning that
:15:33. > :15:39.we will be moving the tennis to BBC Two in a moment. If this does go to
:15:40. > :15:48.a tie-break, you will need to switch over. Have the remote handy!
:15:49. > :15:56.COMMENTATOR: One point wave from a tie-break in the fourth set. -- one
:15:57. > :17:02.point away. This has been good pressure from Murray.
:17:03. > :17:14.That's good from Benneteau. Just held up off the net cord a little
:17:15. > :17:25.tad. He was in position well. Is a bit unlucky with the net cord there,
:17:26. > :17:35.Murray, just sat up. France, two points away from the match.
:17:36. > :18:29.Oh! Recovery. France thought they'd got it there. Benneteau wound up his
:18:30. > :18:37.backhand, and he wanted it to be the final shot of the tie. Match point
:18:38. > :18:57.saved. When will the next one be? SUE BARKER: At this point, we
:18:58. > :19:01.welcome viewers on BBC Two. If you are just joining us, this is the
:19:02. > :19:09.Davis Cup quarterfinal between Great Britain and France in Rouen. France
:19:10. > :19:15.lead 2-0, so the Brits need to win this match to keep the game alive.
:19:16. > :19:20.France are leading 2-1, and this is the fourth set, France with a second
:19:21. > :19:25.match point, so tense times here in Rouen. We will shortly say goodbye
:19:26. > :19:26.to viewers on BBC One, and our coverage, with interviews, will
:19:27. > :19:40.continue on BBC Two. COMMENTATOR: Oh! It is into the net
:19:41. > :19:51.and back on the British side. It is all over!
:19:52. > :19:55.I have never known an atmosphere like this.