Murray sets up Evans decider

With Murray and Ross Hutchins having lost the doubles rubber, victory for the British number one over an opponent ranked 261 in the world was essential to their hopes of avoiding defeat and subsequent relegation to Europe/Africa Zone Group II.

And he was largely untroubled in a 6-3 6-4 6-3 victory that means the final singles rubber between British rookie Dan Evans and Poland's Michal Przysiezny will decide the outcome of the tie.

A fired-up Murray began in style with four service winners and broke Janowicz in the fourth game when the Pole dumped a volley into the net.

Janowicz had a sniff of a break back with Murray serving for the set at 5-3 when the Scot slipped to 0-30 but he recovered well and clinched the game when the Pole netted.

The Pole was simply not consistent enough to really worry Murray, though, and the Scot did break for the second time in the match in the fifth game of the second set when, having slipped to 0-40, Janowicz dumped a poor volley into the bottom of the net. Murray then served out the second set to move to within one of victory.

The third set began in perfect fashion for Murray with a break of the Janowicz serve as a drop volley proved much too good for the Pole.

It was a different story in the fourth game, however, a thumping forehand return winner from Janowicz giving him his first break points of the match at 15-40. But Murray produced some big serves when it mattered to preserve his advantage.

The crowd favourite brought up his first match point with Janowicz serving at 3-5, and one was all he needed, a searing backhand return setting up the expected winner-takes-all clash.