By Nick Powell
Andy Murray sent Great Britain into the next round of the Davis Cup as he came through an incredible match with Kei Nishikori.
Things started brightly for the Scot, who seemed to be en route to victory after taking the first two sets, but Nishikori produced a superb fightback to suddenly take the next two sets and led in the fifth.
Murray broke back however, and pulled ahead to give the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie in Birmingham.
Murray made the perfect start and it seemed as if he would barely need to break a sweat as he played magnificent tennis in the opening set after a twelfth game break.
Nishikori broke to lead however but a forehand into the net ended an epic set which he ended up on the wrong side on after Murray broke back and won an amazing tie-break.
As Nishikori broke into a 5-3 lead in the third set, Murray seemed to self-capitulate, his mentality and body language looked very Negative, and all of sudden Nishikori had taken that set and was two breaks up in the second.
But Murray recovered one break and despite going on two lose the set and going a break down in the decider, was looking mentally stronger and was fighting back.
He found another gear in the last set, and won an epic encounter 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in what has to go down as his greatest ever Davis Cup win.
Views of Murray from BBC Sport interview:
"I was a little bit calmer in the fifth set. I was panickingg a little bit at the end of the third when I was struggling physically, I didn't quite know what to do.
"Last year was incredible every time I played in the Davis Cup. This team did something special and I would like to do the same again this year.
"Obviously the next match will be extremely tough and if we stick together and fight we have a chance."
Andy Murray sent Great Britain into the next round of the Davis Cup as he came through an incredible match with Kei Nishikori.
Things started brightly for the Scot, who seemed to be en route to victory after taking the first two sets, but Nishikori produced a superb fightback to suddenly take the next two sets and led in the fifth.
Murray broke back however, and pulled ahead to give the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie in Birmingham.
Murray made the perfect start and it seemed as if he would barely need to break a sweat as he played magnificent tennis in the opening set after a twelfth game break.
Nishikori broke to lead however but a forehand into the net ended an epic set which he ended up on the wrong side on after Murray broke back and won an amazing tie-break.
As Nishikori broke into a 5-3 lead in the third set, Murray seemed to self-capitulate, his mentality and body language looked very Negative, and all of sudden Nishikori had taken that set and was two breaks up in the second.
But Murray recovered one break and despite going on two lose the set and going a break down in the decider, was looking mentally stronger and was fighting back.
He found another gear in the last set, and won an epic encounter 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in what has to go down as his greatest ever Davis Cup win.
Views of Murray from BBC Sport interview:
"I was a little bit calmer in the fifth set. I was panickingg a little bit at the end of the third when I was struggling physically, I didn't quite know what to do.
"Last year was incredible every time I played in the Davis Cup. This team did something special and I would like to do the same again this year.
"Obviously the next match will be extremely tough and if we stick together and fight we have a chance."
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