Andy and Jamie Murray kept Great Britain’s hopes of retaining their Davis Cup title alive as the brothers defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer in four sets in the doubles rubber of their semi-final yesterday.
 Leading 2-0 from Friday’s singles, Argentina captain Daniel Orsanic selected Del Potro alongside Mayer instead of his usual partner Federico Delbonis as they looked to wrap up victory early.
 However, the tactic failed to pay off as world number two Andy and his older brother Jamie secured a thrilling 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in just under three hours on the hard court of the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.
 Argentina are looking to reach their fourth final in 10 years but will have to wait until today’s reverse singles rubbers to try and claim the point they need for a place in the final against either Croatia or France.
 Kyle Edmund looks likely to face Del Potro in the decisive rubber as Great Britain attempt to defend the competition they won in Ghent last year, with Andy Murray favourite to defeat Guido Pella in today’s first reverse singles.
 With his side losing both of Friday’s singles, it was no surprise to see British captain Leon Smith pick Andy alongside Jamie instead of Dan Evans as he opted for the pairing who secured victory in last year’s final against Belgium.
 However, after his five-hour and seven-minute epic win against Murray on Friday, the expectation was that Del Potro, still working his way back into the game following wrist surgery, would take the day off ahead of today’s reverse singles.
 The gamble to pick the 27-year-old didn’t look like paying off with the Argentine pairing initially looking like strangers on the court.
 It was Jamie, who claimed Grand Slam glory in both the Australian and US Open doubles finals this year, and younger sibling Andy, showing no signs of fatigue, that looked more comfortable in the doubles environment as they helped the Brits race into a five-game lead without reply in the first set before claiming it 6-1 in just 26 minutes.
 Their good work seemed to come undone in the second game of the following set as Argentina immediately broke to take a 4-1 lead before serving out to take the set 6-3. The third set went with serve until the seventh game when Argentina moved in front with a break as Andy struggled with his first serve.
 Argentina’s joy was short-lived, however, as Britain broke back immediately as they won three games in a row with a clever return down the line from Jamie sealing the set.
 There was nothing to separate the sides in the fourth set which went with serve until the tenth game where, in a repeat of the third, the Murrays broke at the crucial moment to claim victory. It gives Great Britain hope of pulling off a repeat of their win over Russia in April 2013 when they came back from 2-0 down to win the tie 3-2.

Nishikori helps Japan return to elite group
In Osaka, Kei Nishikori teamed up with Yuichi Sugita in a dominant doubles victory as Japan completed a 3-0 defeat of Ukraine to return to the Davis Cup’s top table. The world number five looked sharp as the Japanese pair ran out easy 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 winners over Artem Smirnov and Sergiy Stakhovsky to give the home side an unassailable lead in the World Group playoff with only two rubbers remaining.

Aussies down Slovaks to stay in World Group
In Sydney, John Peers and Sam Groth clinched the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie for Australia with a doubles win over Slovakia. Peers and Groth were taken to four sets by the Slovak pair of Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay after holding a match point in the third set. The duo went on to secure Australia’s World Group status 3-0 in the 2017 Davis Cup competition with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/2) victory.
 Australia, who lost to the United States in this year’s first round, will now extend their stay in the World Group to four years. Slovakia, who came to Australia without their two leading stars — 31-ranked Martin Klizan and 102-ranked Lukas Lacko — have not been in the premier group for 10 years.
New Zealand wrap up Pakistan tie 3-0
In Christchurch, New Zealand took an unassailable lead over Pakistan to retain their berth in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I when Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell won their doubles in straight sets. Venus and Daniell beat Aqeel Khan and Mohamed Abid Ali Khan Akbar 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 to give New Zealand a 3-0 lead after Jose Statham and Finn Tearney won the opening singles on Friday, also in straight sets.
 The result means New Zealand remain in the Asia/Oceania Group 1 next year while Pakistan are relegated to Group 2 next year.

Croatia and France deadlocked at 1-1
In Zadar, Croatia and France were tied at 1-1 after Friday’s singles in their Davis Cup semi-final clash after Richard Gasquet and Marin Cilic both won their matches. Gasquet, who stood in for the injured Gael Monfils, put the visitors ahead with a 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-1 victory against Borna Coric. Marin Cilic then levelled the tie by beating Lucas Pouille 6-1, 7-6(4), 2-6 6-2.