Davis Cup: Andy Murray loses five-set semi-final thriller to Juan del Potro
After the drama of their Olympic singles final last month, which Murray won, there were sky-high expectations for this clash
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Murray lost the longest match of his career to Juan Martin del Potro to leave Great Britain up against it in their bid to reach a second consecutive Davis Cup final.
After the drama of their Olympic singles final last month, which Murray won, there were sky-high expectations for this clash at Glasgow's Emirates Arena.
And it did not disappoint, with Del Potro finally prevailing 6-4 5-7 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 6-4 after five hours and seven minutes to give Argentina a 1-0 lead in the semi-final.
Murray, who was forced to miss his grandfather's funeral to play in the match, lost his proud record of never having been beaten in a home Davis Cup singles rubber.
Del Potro's resurgence has been the feel-good story of the tennis summer.
Out of the game for nearly two years and forced to undergo three wrist operations, the Argentinian was close to retiring, but instead has made himself a force once again.
It was a measure of the 27-year-old's popularity around the world that even in the partisan world of Davis Cup he was welcomed on to the court with a big cheer.
But, once the serious business started, the vast majority of the 8,000-strong crowd were, of course, pulling for the man born in this city.
The feeling was he would need them like never before given the calibre of his opponent and the fact Murray's tank was all but empty after the best few months of his career.
The initial signs were good as Murray curled three sublime lobs over the head of 6ft 6in Del Potro to lead 2-0 but the Argentinian hit back quickly and began to take control.
Del Potro's forehand has always been his winning shot but his slice backhand, on which he now depends following his wrist problems, has become rock solid.
Murray could not break it down and was punished for poor serving as Del Potro deservedly took the opening set.
The Argentinian was serving magnificently, once going four games without dropping a point, and seemed to have an answer for everything.
But the Scot dug himself out of the trouble by saving a break point at 4-4 in the second set and in the 12th game he finally created an opening.
The crowd prematurely celebrated when they thought Del Potro had missed a forehand and the distracted Argentinian then put a backhand wide.
Del Potro slammed the ball into the court in annoyance, probably partly at himself for allowing Murray back into a match in which he had been outplayed.
The third set was a match in itself and reminiscent of their fourth set in the Olympic final.
Twice Del Potro forged a break ahead, helped by a terrible line call when Murray threatened a break at 1-2.
The Scot also had to contend with a loud shout from the crowd that helped Del Potro hold for 5-3 and about which Murray and Leon Smith complained at length to umpire Pascal Maria.
But it was the world number two's brilliance that helped him escape. Del Potro looked to have served himself out of trouble from 15-40 but lob master Murray landed another to save a set point and then chased down a volley to square things up at 5-5.
Both men held to force a tie-break that, with more than three hours on the clock, appeared crucial.
It was Murray who took it despite letting slip an early 4-1 lead, forcing set point and then clinching it with a good serve.
Considering it was six years since Del Potro last won a five-set match, and almost three since he contested one, the omens were good.
But Murray played a poor game to trail 3-1 in the fourth and could not recover, the match heading into a decider as the clocked tick past the four-hour mark.
The British number one looked exhausted but his well of spirit and passion is bottomless and he urged the crowd to give him even more noise after saving a break point to hold for 3-2 in the decider.
The pressure was growing, though, and Del Potro bludgeoned a forehand winner to make the crucial breakthrough for 4-3.
Murray saved one match point with an ace to at least force his opponent to serve it out but Del Potro was up to the task, clinching victory with an ace of his own.
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