Monday 30 November 2015 10:01, UK
As the Great Britain team celebrate their Davis Cup final win over Belgium, Barry Cowan analyses five key points from their 3-1 triumph in Ghent.
Andy Murray picked up three precious points, with the help of brother Jamie in the doubles, and Great Britain ended their 79-year wait for a title triumph when Andy beat David Goffin on Sunday.
Murray had to be at his best throughout a high-quality contest and finally ended some spirited Goffin resistance with a spectacular lobbed winner after nearly three hours, collapsing to the red clay before being buried under a mass of team-mates.
Here, Sky Sports tennis analyst Cowan gives is five key reasons why Britain have become great again at world tennis.
Murray is the main man
The plaudits have to go to Andy. What an astonishing effort it's been this year. He obviously has been the main man in 2015 with the success that he's had.
He was well supported by Jamie, who has become a world class doubles player. But I think what shouldn't be lost is the two years where Andy didn't play, which was when the other guys put themselves in a position to be in the World Group where Andy would stick his hand up and want to play.
It's been a phenomenal team effort, but Andy has played his role superbly this year. I never had any doubt that Andy would deliver. For Andy, playing in a Davis Cup final knowing he would need to win three matches, yes there is a lot of pressure, but there is also a lot of pressure playing a Wimbledon final or a US Open final. He's won those big matches so he knew coming into this tie that if he plays his best tennis, he wins.
Jamie also played his part
Jamie's had a phenomenal year. There is no doubt that Andy is a world-class player in singles and doubles, but a successful doubles pair must work as a two. When one person dips, you have to be able to respond and they both did that.
They really have a huge amount of confidence when they are playing together. Of course it helps when it's your brother, because when you aren't playing that well and it's your brother next to you it's easier to lift your spirits.
It was a bit rocky in the third set of that match with David Goffin and Steve Darcis when they were a break down, but I would always back Jamie and Andy against any of the Belgian players.
Leon Smith guides GB to glory
When you're a Davis Cup captain you're not a coach, you're pulling everyone together and making sure they are on side. When you have a world-class player - as we do - you need to make him feel comfortable, and also make other members of the team feel comfortable around Andy. Leon has done that.
Over the years, he has made some tough calls, some brave calls, and it was those brave calls in the early days which put Britain in the position where they were back in the World Group. He's been able to bring everyone together and it's been a huge team effort.
Louis Cayer, the doubles coach, must also take some of the credit. He's been able to get a lot of our doubles pairings playing above themselves.
Kyle Edmund is one for the future
Kyle has shown throughout 2015 that he's certainly on the right track. A good gauge for a player is if they halve their ranking each year and Kyle has done that.
It's taken Kyle a while to feel comfortable in a new environment. When he first played at Wimbledon he did not look 100 per cent comfortable. But right from the word go on Friday, he looked like he belonged out there. He felt he had the game to worry Goffin and I saw enough in those first couple of sets that should encourage Kyle that he's got a really positive future and he should really push on next year.
Can Britain retain the Davis Cup?
Next year will be a really difficult year, because Andy has put so much into winning the Davis Cup. Realistically, next year, for him to repeat what he's done this year is a big ask. It's also an Olympic year which is another factor.
For next year, our No 1 goal is to make sure that we stay in the World Group for 2017. If we can do that, it would be a good effort. Whether that means Andy plays the first round and then misses it from there on, or maybe misses the first round and if we do lose - he comes in for the relegation tie in September.
They have got to enjoy it now, but it will be very difficult and unrealistic to expect them to repeat this magnificent achievement next year.
The guys can really enjoy this success and for Andy that's another huge title that he's been able to put up. We always talk about the top four and Andy is now a Davis Cup winner, along with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
