Davis Cup final 2015: Andy Murray and brother Jamie win doubles duel to put Great Britain on the brink of history

Andy Murray/Jamie Murray BEAT Steve Darcis/David Goffin

Andy Murray celebrates with brother Jamie after beating Steve Darcis and David Goffin (Getty Images)

The stage is set for Andy Murray to complete one of the most remarkable seasons in Davis Cup history here today. In the modern-day format of the event no player has ever finished a year unbeaten and with 11 victories in live rubbers, but the Scot will achieve exactly that if he secures Britain’s first triumph in the historic team competition for 79 years.

There could not be a more fitting way for the competition to end than for Murray to beat David Goffin in the first of this afternoon’s reverse singles. With a little help from his brother Jamie, the world No 2 has propelled his country from 33-1 outsiders at the start of the year to the brink of victory.

For the third tie in a row the brothers won the doubles, beating Goffin and Steve Darcis 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-2 to put Britain 2-1 ahead of Belgium and set up the chance for Murray junior to clinch victory on the final day.

“To play in a Davis Cup final with your brother and to win a point for your country is obviously great,” Murray junior said. “We may never get the chance to do that again.”

If Goffin pulls off a major shock today by beating Murray, who dropped only one game when he thrashed the Belgian No 1 in their last meeting at the Paris Masters earlier this month, the final will go to a deciding fifth rubber. Leon Smith, Britain’s captain, would then have to decide whether to select Kyle Edmund or James Ward to face Darcis. However, few will be expecting such a scenario.

Should Murray complete his country’s finest hour since Fred Perry and Bunny Austin sealed victory over Australia at Wimbledon in the 1936 final, the words “Great Britain” will be inscribed on the historic trophy, but the engraver might be tempted instead to write simply “Scotland”, “Dunblane” or even “Murrays”. The only point which has not been won by the Murrays so far in this year’s competition was Ward’s victory over John Isner in the first round.

The Murrays have never been beaten when playing together in the Davis Cup, but were made to work hard for their latest victory, which was played to the background of a wall of noise in the 13,000-capacity Flanders Expo arena, with the 1,300 British supporters giving as good as they got.

Andy Murray celebrates winning a point in the Davis Cup final doubles match (Getty Images)

Neither Goffin nor Darcis play doubles regularly – they are ranked Nos 378 and 596 in the world respectively in doubles and had only ever played one tour-level match together – but adopted astute tactics. Playing from the back of the court as much as possible, they employed lobs and clever angles.

Goffin, who insisted he would be ready to play again today despite playing nine sets in the first two days, competed well throughout, while Darcis’s only significant weakness was his serve, which was broken four times in a row at the end.

The balance of power on the other side of the net was similar. Andy Murray made his share of mistakes but never dropped serve. Brother Jamie was broken three times and struggled to make an impact on his returns until he started to hit the ball more aggressively. Johan van Herck, Belgium’s captain, said that the Murrays’ greater experience in doubles was the key.

Andy and Jamie Murray shake hands with Darcis and Goffin (Getty Images)

The first set turned on two points in the last two games – and it was no coincidence that Andy Murray was the key figure on both occasions. At 4-4 the world No 2 saved the first break point of the match with a service winner and when Goffin served at 4-5 in the following game he converted Britain’s first break point with a sharp volley.

Already as pumped up as one of the Belgian supporters’ air horns, Murray junior leapt into the air in celebration. However, his big brother’s vulnerability on serve soon became apparent. The Belgians served out for the second set after Jamie was broken for the first time in the third game and in the third set Murray senior dropped serve twice. From 1-1 in the third set, however, there were five breaks of serve in seven games. Thankfully, for the British supporters, the two holds were by Andy Murray.

The Murrays broke Darcis in the third game of the fourth set but had to hold on grimly in the following game, Jamie saving seven break points. But when Andy Murray finally got involved he hit a volley winner to put Britain 3-1 up. Darcis dropped serve again in the penultimate game before Jamie Murray served out for victory after two hours and 49 minutes. When the two brothers were asked how reassuring it felt to have your brother alongside you in such an environment, Jamie smiled. “It’s probably more reassuring for me than it is for him,” Murray senior replied.