Kokkinakis saves 4 match factors earlier than Ebden and Thompson mix for doubles success as Australian defeats USA within the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Malaga,Spain, 22 November 2024 | AAP
Impressed captaincy, a nerve-shredding underdog’s win for Thanasi Kokkinakis and good old school Australian doubles pedigree has powered Australia to a shock 2-1 win over the USA and into the semifinals of the Davis Cup in Spain.
Lleyton Hewitt outduelled his American counterpart Bob Bryan in the important thing captaincy calls of their quarterfinal tie in Malaga on Thursday as 28-times winners Australia defeated the 32-time champs within the battle between the 2 most profitable nations within the historic males’s ‘World Cup of tennis’.
First, Hewitt plumped for the daring alternative of world No.77 Kokkinakis to open proceedings in opposition to big-hitting left-hander Ben Shelton, ranked 56 locations increased, and the Aussie outsider got here up trumps after saving 4 match factors to prevail in an epic deciding tiebreaker 6-1 4-6 7-6 (14).
Then, after Alex de Minaur fell in straight units to Taylor Fritz within the No.1s’ duel, it was right down to doubles Grand Slam winners Jordan Thompson and Matt Ebden to workforce up for the primary time within the Cup and defeat Shelton and Tommy Paul 6-4 6-4 within the deciding rubber.
Chest bumping into the semis 🔥🇦🇺#DavisCup | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/VL5EbFM8eq
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 21, 2024
“Unimaginable. After we received the break there at four-all, I may have run excessive of the entire bench,” beamed Thompson. “I used to be carrying my coronary heart on my sleeve, you recognize, bleeding inexperienced and gold.”
The American skipper Bryan had ditched his specialist doubles pair, Olympic silver nedallists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, making an attempt to shake up the Aussies by unleashing two of his singles stars – however the determination backfired spectacularly.
“We have been hoping to catch the Aussies slightly bit unexpectedly,” sighed Bryan, to which Hewitt countered: “It didn’t shock us that a lot, to be trustworthy … I’d seen them do drills in the course of the week.”
It put Australia one triumph away from a third-straight closing look after two runner’s-up finishes, however they’ll should topple both champions Italy or Argentina on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) to earn one other crack at lifting the Cup for the primary time in 21 years on Sunday (Monday AEDT).
“I don’t know if I’ve been that pumped up in my life. I needed that for my workforce,” mentioned Kokkinakis, after lastly prevailing on his seventh match level within the marathon 30-point breaker.
“It may have gone both means, however I saved my nerve.”
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Hewitt reckoned it hadn’t been of venture to play Kokkinakis, regardless that he’d solely performed one lower-level Challenger in Sydney and a dropping Laver Cup singles within the two months since two massive wins on the Davis Cup qualifiers in Valencia.
The a lot higher-ranked Montreal Masters winner Alexei Popyrin and Thompson have been each missed, with Hewitt grinning: “He (Kokkinakis) performed just like the winner of the New South Wales Open Challenger a few month in the past!
“Clearly, by no means simple making these selections however we all know if we will get him going on the market and enjoying his highest stage, he’s harmful for anyone, I don’t care who it’s. I had full perception in him.
“We sort of put him on ice, just about till now, and let him off the leash right now, and he absolutely repaid us.”
Perception amply rewarded, Hewitt then thrust De Minaur into the second singles for a rematch with world No.4 Fritz, who had solely simply pipped him on the ATP Finals the earlier week.
The important thing second got here as Bryan revealed his doubles swap quarter-hour earlier than they have been resulting from go on court docket.
“We have been anticipating the opposite pair and however we knew they’ve received unbelievable gamers who can play doubles, so we have been prepared,” mentioned Ebden, who like Thompson has gained Grand Slam doubles however each with a distinct accomplice, Purcell, who was cheering on at courtside after current damage struggles.
“What a day!”
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