Race to the line

Jamie Murray, the man behind the Battle of the Brit events, will be delighted that his team event has reached the final day with both teams sharing the points and the finishing line of 60, just ten matches away

It is the first time we've been level since we started on Monday morning so we're happy to go into Sunday with a chance to win Jamie Murray

.Not only that, but his partnership with Heather Watson, clinched the 3 points required for the Union Jacks to level at 45 points with the British Bulldogs who have led throughout the week in what proved a thrilling match.

With so much at stake, it was imperative for the Jacks to claim the final match of the day against the Bulldogs’ Liam Broady & Harriet Dart to have a chance on Sunday.

And battle they did to clinch it 17-15 in the final ‘champions’ tie-break set having split the previous sets 6-3 3-6!

“The match tie-break was brutal, it was pretty much neck and neck the whole way,” the 34-year-old Murray, a doubles specialist, said.

“Heather served great and came up with some clutch returns, I was just trying to stay as calm as I could.

“It is the first time we’ve been level since we started on Monday morning so we’re happy to go into Sunday with a chance to win.”

The final days schedule will consist of 10 matches and will be worth more than on the previous days in order to rack up the atmosphere on what is expected to be a ‘Super Sunday’.

The Bulldogs suffered a setback when the British No.3 Cameron Norrie was forced to retire with a hip injury in his match with Dan Evans when trailing 4-0. It was deemed a necessary precautionary measure prior to the resumption of the ATP tour in a few weeks’ time.

Meanwhile Andy Murray, who is playing just doubles matches this week, continued his own preparations for the US Open, with a 4-6 6-3 10-4 win alongside Lloyd Glasspool, over Kyle Edmund & Joe Salisbury to set the scene for the cliff-hanger mixed doubles involving his elder brother.

Earlier, Katie Boulter, Jan Choinski and Jodie Burrage all won their singles matches for the Jacks.

The Bulldogs, who led 41-32 overnight, kept their hopes alive through former British No.1 Edmund, and with a women’s doubles courtesy of Dart & Beth Grey for what proved to be consolation points in the day’s hectic 8-matc schedule.

Saturday’s results

Centre Court:
Katie Boulter (UJ) bt Beth Grey (BB) 6-1 6-1
Kyle Edmund (BB) bt Anton Matusevich (UJ) 6-2 6-1
Dan Evans (UJ) bt Cameron Norrie (BB) 4-0 ret.
Harriet Dart/ Beth Grey (BB) bt Alicia Barnett/Olivia Nicholls (UJ) 6-2 6-2
Andy Murray/Lloyd Glasspool (UJ) bt Joe Salisbury/Kyle Edmund (BB) 4-6 6-3 10-4
Jamie Murray/Heather Watson (UJ) bt Liam Broady/Harriet Dart (BB) 6-3 3-6 17-15

Court One:
Jan Choinski (UJ) bt Alastair Gray (BB) 6-4 4-6 10-4
Jodie Burrage (UJ) bt Emma Raducanu (BB) 6-2 2-6 10-7

Union Jacks 45-45 British Bulldogs (first to 60)