Andy Murray Opens Davis Cup With A Win

2 months ago 18th Sep 19:55

Andy Murray kicked off Great Britain’s Davis Cup campaign against Poland off in fine style as he saw off Michal Przysiezny in straight sets.

However the world number three was pushed to the max by the Pole and he aggravated a wrist injury that hampered him during the U.S. Open and it looks like he will now miss the doubles tomorrow.

Murray hasn’t played since his surprise fourth round defeat to Marin Cilic at Flushing Meadows but decided to lead team GB as they try to hold onto their Group I status.

If they lose the tie this weekend they will be relegated to the  Europe/Africa Zone Group II after losing their three previous ties.

With the Liverpool crowd on his side Murray put pressure on Przysiezny’s serve in his opening game and only had to wait until the third game to get the vital break.

But the Pole didn’t let the set go without a fight as Murray faced three break points in the final game of the set before wrapping it up to take the lead.

The second set was more comfortable for Britain’s number one as he was roared on by the home crowd as he once again broke in the third game and then the fifth to take a 2-0 lead.

Despite looking a little jaded from his exploits this summer Murray wrapped up the match 6-4 6-2 6-4 to give Great Britain that vital lead.

However that lead didn’t last long as Davis Cup debutant Dan Evans, just nineteen years old, faced a baptism of fire against fellow teenager Jerzy Janowicz.

Evans didn’t start his match well being broken in the first game. Despite battling back to retrieve the break his serve was unreliable as Janowicz broke again in the seventh game.

At 5-3 down Evans was serving to stay in the set and a double fault handed the first set to his opponent. There was more of the same in the second set as Evans, who did show flashes of brilliance, couldn’t sustain it.

And Janowicz, while playing well did take full advantage of the errors that littered Evans’ game to take the second set in similar style.

Evans opened up a 2-0 lead in the third set but once again he couldn’t sustain that level of play and the Janowicz battled back to take the set on a tie break, winning 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-5).

At the end of the first day Great Britain and Poland are tied at one rubber a piece with the double to be played tomorrow.

In other Davis Cup news Spain won both of the singles rubbers on the opening day of the semi finals in the world group against Israel.

Spain, the defending champions, are looking to make it to their second consecutive final and are the heavy favourites of the tie despite the absence of Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco.

Nadal’s replacement Juan Carlos Ferrero once again rolled back the years as he saw off Dudi Sela in straight sets 6-4 6-2 6-0.

Playing in Murcia in Spain David Ferrer handed another heavy defeat to Israel as he saw off Harel Levy 6-1 6-4 6-3.

In the other semi final the Czech Republic took the first match as Stepanek saw off the big hitting Croatian Ivo Karlovic 16-14 in the fourth set.

Roger Federer also found himself in action this afternoon as Switzerland battle it out with Italy for the right to stay in the World Group. Federer, who lost his U.S. Open crown on Monday evening, helped Switzerland open up a 2-0 lead as he saw off  Simone Bolelli 6-3 6-4 6-1.