Davis Cup: Murray lifts Britain into quarter-finals

Wimbledon champion beats Querrey to help post 3-1 victory over US.

SAN DIEGO: Andy Murray beat Sam Querrey in four sets on Sunday to send Great Britain into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup for the first time since 1986.

Wimbledon champion Murray posted his second singles victory of the tie, downing Querrey 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-3 to capture the needed third point in the best-of-five match tie.

Britain had seized a commanding 2-0 lead on the opening day on Friday as 175th-ranked James Ward pulled off a remarkable comeback win over Querrey, after Murray had crushed Davis Cup newcomer Donald Young in straight sets.



The formidable doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan had kept the Americans alive with a doubles victory over Colin Fleming and Dominic Inglot on Saturday.

However, Querrey couldn’t prevent Great Britain from posting their first Davis Cup win over the United States since 1935.

“It’s obviously nice, you want to try and contribute as much as possible in these weeks,” said Murray.

“This is the first time since I’ve been involved in the Davis Cup that we’ve had a chance of winning the competition. It’s obviously going to be extremely tough but we have a great team spirit.”

In the quarter-finals Britain will face Italy, who sealed a 3-1 victory over Argentina in Mar del Plata on Sunday.

The United States will face a playoff to remain in the elite World Group.

Japan, Czech Republic progress to last-eight

The Czech Republic kept their Davis Cup three-peat bid on track while Japan reached the World Group quarter-finals for the first time on Sunday as the first round ties concluded.

The Czech Republic held the upper hand 2-1 going into the reverse singles against the Netherlands and Tomas Berdych bagged the all-important third point with a three-set win over lowly-ranked Thiemo de Bakker.

The Dutch claimed the final dead rubber when Igor Sijsling saw off Lukas Rosol giving the Czechs a 3-2 victory and a last eight date with Japan, who beat Canada in Tokyo.

There was an air of anti-climax about Japan’s feat after Canada’s Frank Dancevic retired injured from his rubber with Kei Nishikori.

Go Soeda thrashed Peter Polansky 6-1, 6-4 in the dead final rubber to complete a 4-1 rout over last year’s semi-finalists.

The quarter-finals of the 114-year-old competition are scheduled for April 4-6.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.

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