Murray levels Davis final as Goffin survives scare

Britain’s Andy Murray levelled the Davis Cup final at 1-1 with a comfortable defeat of Ruben Bemelmans after David Goffin had escaped from two sets down to give Belgium the lead at the Flanders Expo on Friday.

The 28-year-old world number two Murray, who has almost single-handedly put Britain on the brink of their first title since 1936, duly delivered another point, beating 108th-ranked Bemelmans 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 on the indoor claycourt.

His win left the tie poised at 1-1 ahead of Saturday’s doubles when he will partner brother Jamie, although Britain would already be virtually home and dry had debutant Kyle Edmund finished off world number 16 Goffin.

The opening singles of the tie, which was a “must-win” rubber for Belgium as they try to land their first title, was turning into a humiliation for Goffin when he trailed the world number 100 by two sets.

However, roared on by the majority of the 13,000 crowd packed into an arena built inside a charmless warehouse on the edge of medieval Ghent, the 24-year-old hit back from two sets down for the first time to win 3-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0.

The final began with a 12-minute game in which Goffin wasted two break points, shanking one forehand into the roof girders, then saw him completely overwhelmed for more than an hour by a free-swinging 20-year-old with a thunderbolt forehand.

Goffin finally recovered his senses to put a tiring Edmund in his place, but it was a mighty scare.

“The pressure was more on my shoulders because we needed this point against Kyle,” Goffin told reporters. “I was a little bit worried because Kyle was playing unbelievable. He just had nothing to lose.

“Kyle was really heavy with every forehand. It was tough to manage but I stayed calm and waited for my chance.”