Australia has forced its way back into the Davis Cup first team final after a 19-year drought with emotional players embracing and sharing a kiss after the breakthrough win against Croatia.
The Aussies were on the ropes in the semi-final against Croatia after Thanasi Kokkinakis fell to Borna Coric in the opening singles match of the semi-final.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur, front, is hugged by team captain Lleyton Hewitt at the Davis Cup finals
But an enormous performance from Alex de Minaur to blitz 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic before the doubles pairing of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson came from a set down to beat Olympic gold medal winners Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.
It was a hugely emotional win for not only the players, but coach and former Aussie world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt who shared a kiss with Thompson after their victory.
That emotion spilled onto the sidelines as the Aussies cursed, cheers, hugged it out and cried genuine tears after hauling their country back into the final for the first time since Australia defeated Spain at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2003.
The pressure was heaped on Aussie No.1 de Minaur as he faced Croatian tennis hero Marin Cilic in a must-win second singles match following teammate Thanasi Kokkinakis’s defeat by Borna Coric in the opening rubber of Friday’s semi-final.
Alex de Minaur of Australia celebrates the victory against Marin Cilic of Croatia in the Davis Cup semi-finals
But just as he has done all year in the competition that so often seems to propel him to new heights, de Minaur was quite immaculate at Malaga’s Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena as he snuffed out the danger from the erratic Cilic, outclassing him 6-2 6-2.
It left Australia’s hopes of a first appearance in the final of the men’s World Cup of tennis since 2003 still burning as they went into a doubles decider.
Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson then completed the semi-final win with their 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 doubles victory over Croatian Olympic gold medallists Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic.
It was a triumph straight out of captain Lleyton Hewitt’s gritty playbook – never say die as a doubles pairing who’d never teamed up before in the Davis Cup were left staring at defeat before rallying to down the formidable Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 6-4.
On Sunday, the Australians will face either Canada or Italy in the final, with the force now seeming to be with Hewitt’s heroes.
Croatia’s Marin Cilic (L) congratulates Australia’s Alex de Minaur after Minaur won their match in the Davis Cup semi final between Croatia and Australia in Malaga, Spain
Hewitt had earlier delivered a pre-tie surprise by bringing in Kokkinakis to replace quarter-final hero Thompson, trusting that his extra firepower might discomfit the resurgent Coric.
But world No.26 Coric, returning to the sort of form that helped him reach the top dozen in the game before shoulder woes kept him out for a year, had all the answers, winning convincingly 6-4 6-3.
It meant all the onus was on de Minaur to continue his stellar run in the competition, needing to win his 10th singles rubber out of his last 11 against the evergreen Cilic, the last man to beat him in the Davis Cup in Croatia’s 2021 group victory.
Lleyton Hewitt, captain of Australia and Max Purcell of Australia celebrate after winning their double match against Nikola Mektic of Croatia and Mate Pavic of Croatia
De Minaur lost a three-set thriller to his 34-year-old opponent in Turin last year but there never seemed any doubt about this revenge win as an immediate break after a 10-minute opening game slog quickly put the Australian in command.
Cilic, who’d won an epic quarter-final rubber against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, looked curiously flat, and sprayed around errors – 17, including seven double faults – as de Minaur remained rock-like, making only three unforced mistakes in the whole set.
Australia’s Jordan Thompson (R) and Max Purcell (L) celebrate with teammates their victory against Croatia’s Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic
Another break at the start of the second set enabled de Minaur to maintain his grip and Cilic looked beaten even before a 10th double fault of his sorry day helped consign the former US Open champ to the double break as the Australian raced to victory.
Hewitt’s gamble on Kokkinakis had looked a good call in the early stages as the Australian world No.95 peppered Coric with eight aces in the opening set.
Yet the patience and court craft of the Croatian, allied to his devastating backhand, always made it seem he was gradually getting the measure of the Australian.
Hewitt takes a selfie with the jubilant Aussie players after sealing a place in their first Davis Cup first team final in almost 20 years
And after having one break point repelled in the eighth game, Coric struck decisively in the 10th.
Kokkinakis had to fend off a couple of set points before a searing forehand winner down the line sealed the opening stanza.
There proved no way back for the Australian as Coric took complete command with a break in the sixth game of the second set, before he finished the job after an hour and 32 minutes with an ace.
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