Davis Cup: Great Britain v Japan

1. Davis Cup first round: GB 2-1 Japan (Birmingham)
2. Doubles - A Murray/J Murray beat Nishioka/Uchiyama 6-3 6-2 6-4
3. Best-of-five tie, winners into quarter-finals

Goodbye!

Time for the Murrays to grab some food and retire to the sofa for the night (especially you, Andy).

The world number two needs to recover for tomorrow's big clash against Kei Nishikori - and I'd suggest you do too.

We want you back here at 13:00 GMT, feeling ready and refreshed, for the deciding day of Great Britain's opening Davis Cup tie. See you then!

Elsewhere in the Davis Cup

BBC Tennis

bbctennis

Elsewhere in the #DavisCup... Novak Djokovic is 2 sets down in his doubles match v Kazakhstan.

4:00 p.m. - 5 March 2016

Nishikori going to be tough - Andy Murray

World number two Andy Murray on the prospect of facing Kei Nishikori: "I played well against him last year.

"He's ranked sixth in the world so he is one of the best players out there. It's going to be tough, but I'm playing well and hopefully I can play another good one tomorrow. 

"If not then Dan Evans is capable of winning his match as well. We've got two chances of winning tomorrow."

Tomorrow's action

So we're over the hill of this Davis Cup tie - and holders Great Britain are ahead. The hosts need to win one of tomorrow's two singles matches to seal victory and secure a quarter-final place.

This is the expected line-up...

Andy Murray v Kei Nishikori

Dan Evans v Taro Daniel

Play starts tomorrow at 13:00 GMT, don't forget to follow the action on BBC TV, radio and online.

'Bad decision'

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"I was shocked by Japan's decision not to play Nishikori. I can't understand it. It was a bad decision."

Jamie 'not surprised' by Kei absence

Kei Nishikori's absence must have been greeted with joy in the Great Britain dressing room, right? Probably. Although Jamie Murray claims he wasn't that shocked by the news. 

"I wasn't really surprised. My coach thought they were going to play him. But Kei played a long match with Dan Evans and has not played much doubles for Japan. I thought they were going to stick with this pair."

Match highlights

Just tuned in and missed all the action? Don't worry. Here's our highlights package...

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Murray brothers beat Japan to win for GB

We make a decent team - Andy

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Andy Murray: "We know each other's games extremely well - so that helps. When the ball goes into a certain part of the court I know what shot he will hit and vice-versa. My strengths and his strengths make a decent team. It was a good win today."  

We were solid - Jamie

Both Murray boys have been talking to on-court interviewer Annabel Croft on BBC One - here's what they had to say...

Jamie Murray: "We played a great match from start to finish. We were very solid, it wasn't easy because they played some good shots and gave us some tricky moments."

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The Murray brothers both break out in wide smiles after that match-winning point, embracing each other before shaking the hands of their opponents. Two lucky punters managed to snatch sweat-soaked Murray wristbands, then the players return to their seats for a post-match debrief from captain Leon Smith.

'Great serving'

PA

“Another really solid performance from the British team underlined by great serving from both – they didn’t have to face a single break point, which was quite remarkable. The tie is pretty much poised where we expected and the good news is Andy Murray is in some real good form.”

Game, set and match - GB

Andy Murray is the man charged with wrapping this match up for Great Britain - and that is exactly what the Scottish brothers do.

Muzza junior started the match with a hold to love and he finishes it in the same manner.

Great Britain lead 2-1 ahead of tomorrow's two singles matches.

GB breaks

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Right then...is this the break that 9,000 Britons have been waiting for? Team Murray battle back with three straight points to tee up their first break point of the third set.

They've got it! Uchiyama's serve is returned with interest by Andy Murray, forcing the taller Japanese player into weakly palming in the net.

Great Britain serving for the third set - and for the match...

Andy Murray, despite playing his first match yesterday in a month, has found some nice rhythm today...

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Andy Murray's stunning winner against Japan

Another Murray serve, another comfortable hold. The Japan pair have not troubled their opponents' serve. This time the Scottish lads hold to 15, thanks largely to some more aggressive net play.

A break any time in the next few minutes will do them rather nicely...

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The boisterous Birmingham crowd ramp up the volume again as the British boys go 30-30. It only serves to spur the Japanese pair into life initially, Uchiyama pouncing on a weak Jamie Murray forehand return from the baseline to swat away for 40-30.

The Murrays nab the next point for deuce, only for Nishioka and Uchiyama to seal the hold on a replayed point after a rogue out call.

Andy's mis-hit forehand into the net ends that game - Andy almost ends his racquet before holding back from smashing it into the blue acrylic. Nearly.  

Andy Murray does not look like a man who has not played much tennis in the past month. He's grooving along nicely, firing a serve that can't be returned down the T for 40-15. Then he lets his brother take control, Jamie knocking back a couple of net volleys before Nishioka overcooks an attempted lob.

PA

Simple. Uchiyama rattles off a service game quicker than it takes to boil an egg. He starts with an ace out wide, before his partner finishes the game with a net volley.

The Murray serve has been impeccable throughout - this time it is Jamie's turn to excel again. The Japanese players have no answer, Nishioka gets his strings to Jamie's final sliced serve but cannot return it cleanly.

Not been loads for the Japan players to smile about so far - but here's one happier moment from earlier.

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Japan hit return winner against GB during the Davis Cup

Fantastic vocal support from the Birmingham crowd, who are going through their whole repertoire of football-style chants. We're on to the 'Toure/2Unlimited' chant now.

Nishioka and Uchiyama maintain their serve with relative ease, Andy Murray's backhand at the net - into the mesh - wrapping up the game for Japan.

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The Murrays have barely had the surface of their serve scratched. No break points for the British pair to face, in fact not even a sign of a break point for the Japan lads.

Uchiyama lashes a forehand well wide at 40-30 to hand over game two with barely a whimper.

Here we go then. The third set. Can the Muzzas wrap this up early and get back to the hotel for the full-time football scores? They don't have to rush back for their beloved Hibernian though - they're not playing.

Anyway...back to tennis. Japan look a bit nervy at 40-30, but keep their cool to seal a gutsy hold.

British Tennis

BritishTennis

Time for the Poznan as the Aegon GB @DavisCup Team break again for 5-2! #BackTheBrits #MurrayMagic

3:21 p.m. - 5 March 2016

PA

"The Murray brothers would be winning Grand Slams if they played doubles together there. No doubt about it."

Game and second set - GB

The Murray brothers take a good 20 seconds to discuss what they are going to do with their first second-set point. Jamie, with ball in hand, is dishing out the instructions to his younger sibling, who scurries off to the net.

Turns out the tactics were quite simple: "I'll belt down a massive serve out wide and he'll not be able to return it cleanly." Done.

GB breaks

PA

There is more see-saw in this game then there is at your local kids' playground. Japan battle back to set up a game point, but then have to stave off another break point. Andy Murray pings a backhand wide, much to his obvious disgust, as that goes begging.

However, his scowl soon turns to a smile. A third break point for the Scots - and this they snaffle it! Uchiyama's wild overhead smash seals the deal.

GB well in command.

The British pair have another sniff of a break. The Murrays battle back from 40-15 to force deuce, then tee up a break point.

Andy Murray tries a drop volley, but miscalculates it. Badly. He can't believe he's put that into the net! Back to deuce...

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Japan's problem is that they need to crack the Murray serve - whichever Murray is serving. This time they need to decode Andy's, but they haven't got a chance. The world number two is serving well, finishing off the hold with an ace down the middle.

Wouldn't fancy being Japan captain Minoru Ueda right now. He's got one heck of a job on his hands rallying his troops. He barks out some instructions from the sideline, whatever he says seems to have worked. 

Uchiyama's serve at 40-15 is cracked into the net by Andy Murray, putting the Japan pair back within a game in this second set.

'What a volley!'

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Andy Murray's brilliant volley during the Davis Cup match against Japan

The Murray brothers are showing no signs of losing their focus. Jamie's latest service game is impeccable, the British pair holding to love when Andy's net volley is slapped into the tape by Nishioka.

'It's a mismatch'

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"It's beginning to look like a bit of mismatch - the Japanese pair have got nothing to hurt the British. They have a pattern of playing and it's just not effective against a team as good as the Murrays. I don't see where they can get back into this match unless the British pair lose their focus."

The Japanese pair are not asking too many questions of their British opponents at the moment. Not that it's dampening the enjoyment of one young face-painted Japanese family, who are smiling and waving at the camera.

Nishioka and Uchiyama do give them something to grin about, ticking their side of the scoreboard into life with a hold.

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The Murray brothers are cruising along nicely. A delicate touch from Jamie Murray, cushioning a delicious backhand volley over at the net, seals an easy peasy hold to love.

GB breaks

"The people at the net get the winning done," says Andrew Castle. Quite. And the Japan pair are giving these Murray boys the net. Big mistake.

Break point for the Brits as Uchiyama goes long as he tries to hurdle the Murray wall.

That goes begging as the Japanese fluke a winner, but the Scottish pair soon have another chance. It's good! Andy steers a backhand through a gap between Nishioka and Uchiyama for an early second-set breakthrough.

* denotes next server

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'Murrays looking comfortable'

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"A spirited start from the Japanese but you did feel once the British pair got their eye in, and Andy did before Jamie, that the break would come. They will feel very comfortable with where they are right now."

Game and first set - GB

Job done. Andy Murray holds his serve to clinch the first set for Great Britain.

Japan have a sniff at 15-15, before Murray shows why he is the second best male tennis player in the world. What a volley! He stoops low to direct a tricky volley down the line, even drawing praise from his brother.

GB tee up the set point and take it within seconds. Andy's booming serve down the T is returned straight to the strings of Jamie, who volleys in the winner.

GB breaks

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Right then, anyone going to take this match by the scruff of the neck? I'm looking at you two, Murray and Murray.

The Scottish pair do exactly that. From 30-0 down, they turn the game 40-30 in their favour as Jamie's volley is too hot for Nishioka to handle.

First break point of the match. And Andy Murray takes it! The world number two spanks down a winning backhand. Now he is serving for the opening set....