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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, July 17, 2015

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Andy Murray

"It's always different. There's always extra pressure, extra nerves playing Davis Cup," said Andy Murray after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Photo credit: British Tennis

Sprinting from sideline to sideline, Andy Murray leaned low and curled a running forehand pass down the line leaving Jo-Wilfried Tsonga waving in vain.

Murray stayed a step ahead of Tsonga when it mattered most to get Great Britain even with France in the Davis Cup quarterfinals. The four-time Queen's Club champion returned to his favorite stomping grounds, saving set points in the second set tie break to defeat Tsonga, 7-5, 7-6 (10), 6-2 on the grass of Queen's Club.

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Continuing his mastery of the explosive Frenchman, Murray raised his record against Tsonga to 11-2, improving his Davis Cup singles record to 22-2.

Murray denied three of four break points and played a much cleaner match, committing 22 unforced errors compared to 50 for Tsonga, who was compelled to play closer to the lines against his steadier opponent. The third-ranked Scot is quicker around the court and stayed on balance better as Tsonga took a few hard tumbles to the turf, apparently straining his shoulder at one point.

"Both of us served extremely well in the tie breaker," Murray said in his on-court interview. "I got a bit of a lucky return on the set point. Thankfully, it dropped in. It was a great atmosphere."

The day started with Gilles Simon sweeping Londoner James Ward, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1, to stake France to a 1-0 lead. Simon broke serve five times and won 70 percent of the points played on Ward's second serve.

"[Winning Davis Cup] is really important for us; one of the main goals of the season," Simon said. "We lost in the final last year. Every match is really hard to win. Here we are in the quarterfinals and trying to make our way to the semis."

Saturday's doubles match could be crucial to the outcome.

Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Mahut are the scheduled French starters, while Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray are the projected starters for the host though French captain Arnaud Clement and British captain Leon Smith could make substitutions.

Andy Murray is a standout doubles player who partnered Colin Fleming to a victory over Italy's Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini in his last Davis Cup doubles appearance on the red clay of Napoli in April, 2014. Asked if he will play doubles tomorrow, possibly partnering older brother Jamie Murray, Andy offered an ambigious answer.

"I always want to play, but I've also had a long few months," Murray said. "It's about doing what's best for us to win the tie and also I need to be fresh for Sunday. We'll see. Hopefully I can play."

In this rematch of the 2013 Queen's Club semifinals, Tsonga saved set point before hitting an ace to end a 10-minute game as he held in the 10th game. Murray drove his two-handed backhand down the line for two more set points in the 12th game. Blocking a forehand return at the Frenchman's feet, Murray foiled the serve-and-volleyer's forward charge, breaking to take the opening set.

Annoyance energized Tsonga, who teed off on a forehand return and slugged a backhand pass to reach 0-30 in the opening game of the second set. A couple of forehand errors from Murray, who showed traces of complacency in his footwork, saw the Scot drop serve at 15.

Tsonga backed up the break at love for a 2-0 advantage. Serving at 3-2, Tsonga slipped on the grass and tumbled to the court. He climbed up slowly only to fall into a triple break point chasm. Murray, who had decelerated through some forehand swings early in the set, punished a piercing forehand return to draw the error and break back for 3-3. Murray held at love for 5-4.

Amping up his attack in the tie break, Tsonga opened with a mini break, executed a slick serve-and-volley winner, and drew a netted forehand for 3-0. Working over the Frenchman's weaker backhand wing, Murray provoked error getting the mini break back for 3-all. Murray saved a set point with a stinging serve down the T for 6-all. Tsonga unleashed a 131 mph blast to save a set point then slammed a 136 mph serve that rattled his opponent's racquet, giving the Frenchman a second set point at 8-7. Murray erased it with a forehand crosscourt. Tsonga unloaded his fifth straight unreturnable serve, saving set point for 9-9.

Fans of both nations erupted in sing-song chants tuning up tension. Tsonga earned another set point at 10-9, but pushed a forehand return into net. Staring down another set point, Tsonga tried to serve and volley, but the return pushed him on retreat and he looped a forehand wide as Murray danced to his seat with a two-set lead while Sly and Family Stone's "Dance to the Music" kept many in the crowd on their feet.



Returning to court after a bathroom break, Tsonga couldn't find his range, dumping a double fault to donate the break in the opening game of the third set. Murray broke again at love for 4-1. That running forehand winner down the line helped him close out a convincing win that sent the British faithful into an extended celebration.

Murray said the crowd will be key for the host's upset hopes.

"A lot of people were asking me at the Queen's Club are they gonna create a Davis Cup atmosphere? And I think they proved everyone wrong today," Murray said. "It was absolutely fantastic, a pleasure to play in front of a crowd like that. We're gonna need more suppot like that if we're gonna get a win."

 

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