Andy Murray and Colin Fleming edged Britain a step closer to ending their 33-year wait for a place in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup with a hard-fought doubles win over Italy on Saturday.
Earlier in Naples, Murray accounted for Andreas Seppi 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 to level the tie, which had been halted due to poor light on Friday when the Wimbledon champion was a set up and 5-5 in the second frame.
Murray then teamed up with Fleming as the all-Scottish duo surged into a two-set lead before spurning several breaks in the third set to allow Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini to seize one of their two break chances and pull a set back.
The match went down to what was a thrilling fourth set but after going 3-1 down the British team launched a valiant fightback to secure three break points on their way to a deserved 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 victory.
Murray, the world number eight and two-time Grand Slam champion, can now seal Britain's first appearance in the semi-finals since 1981 on Sunday when he faces Italian number one Fognini.
But the Scot said he is taking nothing for granted: "It should be a tough match, Fabio has played really well this year, especially on clay.
"But hopfully I can play a good match and finish the tie."
Fleming, the British doubles number one, said: "We'll find out at the end of the tie if this has been a crucial win.
"But it's given us the momentum going into Sunday and we couldn't be happier about that."
After being asked who the British team would like to dedicate the doubles win to, Murray was quick to point to former British women's player Elena Baltacha, who has recently been diagnosed with liver cancer.
He added:: "There's a member of British tennis called Elena Baltacha - she has liver cancer and she's fighting that just now.
"The whole of British tennis is behind her. I don't know if she was watching today but this win goes out to her."
If Fognini, ranked 13th in the world, causes an upset on Sunday the tie will be decided by either Andrea Seppi or James Ward, who are scheduled to play in the final singles rubber.
Ward succumbed 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to Fognini in the opening rubber on Friday.
Italy team captain Corrado Barazzutti, meanwhile, appeared to give his side little chance when he said: "We don't have a lot of options. Fognini has to beat Murray, otherwise we've lost the tie. It will be difficult for us."
Italy last advanced to the World Group semi-finals in 1998 when they went on to finish runners-up to Sweden, while the last final-four appearance for Britain -- nine-time winners but who last triumphed in 1936 -- came in 1981.
The eventual winners will take on either Switzerland or Kazakhstan in September's semi-finals.
Source: AFP
