Davis Cup: Murray brothers beat Japan, put Britain 2-1 ahead

Posted March 05, 2016 6:00 am

The Associated Press

Andy Murray plays a shot to Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama watched by his brother Jamie, during day two of the Davis Cup, World Group, first round tennis match between Great Britain and Japan, at the Barclaycard Arena, in Birmingham, England, Saturday March 5, 2016. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) - Andy Murray partnered his brother Jamie to guide Britain to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Japan in a doubles match in the Davis Cup on Saturday, moving the titleholders into a 2-1 lead ahead of the reverse singles.

Andy Murray has now won his last 13 matches in the competition, 11 of them coming last year when Britain won the title for the first time in 79 years.

Competing in his first event since becoming a father, the former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion decided to play doubles a day after beating Taro Daniel with the loss of just five games on Friday to give Britain a 1-0 lead.

Murray finished off the win against Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama with an ace, just like against Daniel.

"Hopefully I can play another good one tomorrow and seal the win," said Murray, who is scheduled to play Kei Nishikori - Japan's top player - in the first of the singles matches on Sunday.

Britain chose to play Murray in the doubles, whereas Japan decided to rest Nishikori. The Murray brothers didn't face a break point against a pairing that is ranked outside the world's top 300 in doubles

"We played a great match from start to finish," said Jamie Murray, a doubles specialist. "We were very solid."

Andy Murray, right and brother Jamie, talk, as they play Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama, during day two of the Davis Cup, World Group, first round tennis match between Great Britain and Japan, at the Barclaycard Arena, in Birmingham, England, Saturday March 5, 2016. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT The Associated Press

Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka, left, returns a shot to Great Britain's Andy and Jamie Murray, with Yasutaka Uchiyama at right, during day two of the Davis Cup, World Group, first round tennis match between Great Britain and Japan, at the Barclaycard Arena, in Birmingham, England, Saturday March 5, 2016. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT The Associated Press

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