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Andy and Jamie Murray help Great Britain beat France in Davis Cup doubles rubber

Jamie Murray (L) and Andy Murray (R) of Great Britain celebrate in their win against Nicolas Mahut and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Davis Cup
Image: Jamie Murray (L) and Andy Murray celebrate after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nicolas Mahut in their Davis Cup doubles clash at Queen's Club

​Great Britain are one win away from the Davis Cup semi-finals after Andy and Jamie Murray clinched a crucial doubles victory over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nicolas Mahut.

Andy Murray was not originally scheduled to play the doubles rubber but the world number three justified his inclusion as the brothers put on a gutsy display to win 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.

The victory gives Britain a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five tie at Queen's, meaning they need only win one of Sunday's two singles matches to reach their first semi-final since 1981.

World No 3 Andy can secure a last-four showdown against Australia or Kazakhstan in September if he defeats scheduled opponent Gilles Simon in the first of those singles ties at Queen's Club in west London on Sunday.

If he loses, British world No 89 James Ward is due to face world No 12 Tsonga in what would be the decisive second singles.

Andy Murray (L) celebrates with brother Jamie Murray after beating France in Davis Cup
Image: Andy Murray (L) hugs brother Jamie Murray

Nine-time winners France finished as runners-up to Switzerland last year, but now they are teetering on the brink of a first defeat against old rivals Britain since 1978.

With the tie on a knife-edge after Friday's singles, both teams made late changes to their doubles line-ups.

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Despite admitting his body is feeling the strain of a gruelling spell that saw him reach the Wimbledon and French Open semi-finals, Andy agreed to be inserted alongside Jamie instead of Dominic Inglot.

French captain Arnaud Clement also made a switch, with Tsonga selected ahead of Richard Gasquet, who is still less than 100 per cent after his run to the last four at Wimbledon.

Andy Murray (L) with brother Jamie Murray after beating France in Davis Cup
Image: Andy Murray (L) hammers away his smash with Jamie watching on

It was an especially bold move by British captain Leon Smith as Andy Murray had played only six doubles matches this year, the most recent during Queen's last month alongside Inglot, while his last Davis Cup doubles appearance, with Colin Fleming, ended in a defeat against Italy last year.

The Murray brothers hadn't played alongside one another since the Indian Wells tournament in March 2013 and their previous Davis Cup outing was in July 2011 against Luxembourg - they had also lost seven of their last 12 doubles matches together.

The French pair, playing together for only the fifth time, were also an unknown quantity.

GB v France: Match Stats

  • 1st serve points won: 80% - 71%
  • Aces: 8 - 6
  • Double faults: 1 - 2
  • Forehand winners: 26 - 19
  • Backhand winners: 10 - 10
  • Points won at the net: 39/78 - 21/53
  • Break points won: 3/4 - 1/3
  • Unforced errors: 20 - 31

They made the perfect start with a break of Andy Murray's serve in the opening game before comfortably closing out the first set.

Fresh from reaching the Wimbledon doubles final, it was Jamie who looked the more confident of the siblings early on.

But it was Andy who came to Britain's rescue when he successfully challenged a ball called in to secure a break in the fourth game of a second set that the hosts won to level the match.

General view of action during World Group Quarter Final Davis Cup match between Great Britain and France at Queen's Club
Image: Spectators packed the banks at Queen's Club to watch the doubles action

There was a moment of drama in the third set at 5-5 when Andy slipped and rolled over clutching his groin after reaching a Tsonga serve.

The two-time Grand Slam champion lay flat on his back for several minutes of treatment before finally clambering to his feet.

Moving well enough, Murray punched away a volley to earn a set point in the tie-break and then unloaded a blistering return to seal a two sets to one lead.

Nicolas Mahut (L) and France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (R) during a Davis Cup world group quarter-finals doubles at Queen's Club
Image: Nicolas Mahut (L) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (R) fell to defeat despite winning the first set

The French looked shell-shocked by that setback and their frustration boiled over when Clement complained that Tsonga had been distracted by a call of 'out' from the crowd in the second game of the fourth set.

Taking advantage of their opponents' sudden loss of focus, the brothers broke twice in the first four games and were soon hugging in celebration of another memorable moment for the Murray family.

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