Andy and Jamie Murray put Great Britain within touching distance of their first Davis Cup final for 37 years as they came from behind to earn a five-set doubles win over Australia in Glasgow.
The brothers overcame Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth after a gruelling encounter to put Britain 2-1 ahead in their semi-final at the Emirates Arena.
The hosts are now strong favourites to secure a final meeting against Belgium or Argentina when Andy Murray faces world number 23 Bernard Tomic on Sunday, with Dan Evans scheduled to play Thanasi Kokkinakis later in the day.
The world number three was confirmed as his brother’s partner just before midday, although it was widely anticipated that original selection Dom Inglot would be sidelined after the first day of action, when Evans lost to Tomic after Andy Murray had raced to victory over Kokkinakis.
And the Scots thrilled their home crowd with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 triumph in an epic contest.
Hewitt knew defeat could spell the end of his Davis Cup career and fought all the way in a match that swung one way and the other time after time.
The first breakthrough went the visitors’ way in the fifth game when server Jamie Murray sent an overhead backhand into the net after returning a barrage of shots.
As Groth served for the set the Murrays forced two break points, but the powerful Australian produced some big serves when he needed to and clinched it with four points on the trot.
The brothers claimed their first break in the sixth game of the second set, Jamie’s volley at the net sparking passionate celebrations from his younger sibling before they went on to level the scores.
Australia broke at the first opportunity in the third set but Groth missed the chance to put them 5-2 up when he smashed wide after a long rally, and his over-hit lob soon gave Britain a break point which Andy Murray made the most of with an excellent return which Hewitt’s team-mate could not handle.
The Scots forced a second break point as Groth served for 5-4 and Jamie Murray almost raised the roof when his close-range smash sealed the game, before his brother successfully served for a 2-1 lead.
Again the Australians broke quickly, Jamie Murray following a double fault with a backhand into the net, but the brothers both produced some excellent shots to immediately cancel the advantage.
The home pair saved three set points thanks to some aggressive play from Jamie Murray to follow up his serves and then broke the visitors at the second attempt when Jamie finished a chance at the net.
That left his brother to serve for the match but that did not go to plan as Australia forced the tie-break. Australia saved a match point with good net play from Groth off Hewitt’s serve before the Murrays both went for the same ball to hand their opponents the set.
A poor service game from Groth saw Britain move into a 3-0 lead in the decider but Australia broke back and Groth clung on to hold for 3-3 after saving four break points.
But Groth again struggled on his service game, leaving a volley from Jamie Murray that landed in before consigning his team to defeat with an over-hit volley.