MALAGA/WASHINGTON, November 26, 2022 (by Michael Dickens)
As the Australia-Croatia semifinal tie at this year’s Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals unfolded Friday in Malaga, Spain, one thing that was guaranteed was it was going to be a nervy battle from start to finish inside the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena, where there was plenty of excitement on the court and cacophony in the stands from first ball to last ball.
After falling behind 1-0, Australia rallied in the next two matches to pull out a 2-1 semifinal tie triumph over Croatia and lifted the Green and Gold into its first appearance in a Davis Cup final since 2003.
Look what it means for the Aussies 💚🇦🇺#DavisCup #byRakuten | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/XrBd4nCxPW
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 25, 2022
While one can never underestimate the importance of winning the first point in a Davis Cup tie – which Croatia hadn’t – thanks to an opening win at No. 2 singles by Borna Coric over Thanasi Kokkinakis, 6-4, 6-3, it was unable to complete the task of beating the Australians in either the No. 1 singles or doubles rubbers to advance to Sunday’s title match against either Italy or Canada, who face off on Saturday afternoon.
Coric is now 4th on the list for most Davis Cup singles match-wins by a Croatian player 🤝#DavisCup #byRakuten | @hts_sluzbeni | @borna_coric pic.twitter.com/Y06Ij3enF2
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 25, 2022
Instead, Australia pulled off the impossible task of running the table the rest of the tie and, in a most improbable fashion, strung together wins by Alex de Minaur over World No. 17 Marin Cilic, 6-2, 6-2, behind the strength of four breaks of serve. Then, the Aussies pulled out a match-deciding triumph in the doubles rubber coming from a set down as Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson upset 14-time ATP Tour-level titlists Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4. The makeshift team – Thompson was a late addition for injured Matt Ebden – was not broken during the deciding rubber. Australia stepped up big and will be hoping to lift its 29th Davis Cup crown in the final on Sunday.
🇦🇺 Australia into Davis Cup final!
The Purcell / Thompson pair sends Aussies in their 1st Davis Cup final since 2003 beating Croatia’s doubles Mektic / Pavic 6-7 7-5 6-4 pic.twitter.com/nnx4oQ4RWM
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) November 25, 2022
After his team’s victory, Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt said: “It’s been a long time. Obviously, we are a very proud Davis Cup nation. I’m just thrilled for these boys, they deserve to go out there and get the opportunity to play in the final of a Davis Cup, and now it’s going to happen on Sunday.”
Earlier this week, Croatia came into the Final Eight with Coric and Cilic in the same Davis Cup line-up for the first time since they won the title in 2018. With their team at full strength, Croatia took advantage of a depleted Spain squad, without Carlos Alcaraz or Rafael Nadal, in their quarterfinal match to win 2-0 on Wednesday. It was the first time in four attempts that Croatia had beaten Spain in the Davis Cup.
Meanwhile, Australia reached the semifinals for the first time in five years with plenty of fighting spirit, after World No. 24 de Minaur carried Australia on his racquet in helping to beat the Netherlands 2-0 on the opening day of competition Tuesday in Malaga.
“We’ve got a great team, a lot of belief and a lot of passion,” de Minaur said, quoted earlier this week by the Davis Cup website. “I’m very happy to win. … Every single one of these players on our team is going to play their heart out. We’ll do everything we can for our country.”
Flawless performance 👏@alexdeminaur cruises past Cilic to force a deciding doubles 😏#DavisCup #byRakuten | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/zRKf4RUlbu
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 25, 2022
On Friday, Hewitt inserted Kokkinakis into the lineup to face Coric, hoping that he could get Australia off to a positive start. After all, the Green and Gold was just a semifinal victory away from reaching its first Davis Cup since 2003, when they beat Spain at Melbourne for their 28th title. Since then, they’ve been beaten in three straight semifinal appearances, in 2006, 2015 and 2016. This year at Malaga, they’ve come to battle with a sense of purpose and pride.
“It means a lot to the boys. They wear their heart on their sleeve and they love wearing the green and gold. The reason I’m still doing this job is because I love representing Australia,” Hewitt said.
“We could be going out there and rolling balls on a court, but as long as we are doing it for our country and wearing the green and gold, I’m going to get these boys to have that pride and that passion to wear their heart on their sleeve.
“My boys do a lot of hard work, they come together, and they back each other. That’s why I couldn’t be prouder.”
After securing their two-hour, 14-minute decider, Purcell said: “There’s nothing like it, honestly, there’s nothing like it. That’s the best thing I’ve ever experienced ever. Anything for the Green and Gold, honestly.”
Thompson added: “We were [just] holding serve. I feel like we did a good job of that. The opportunities weren’t coming, but we hung in there and eventually we did get a couple of opportunities and we took them on the first go each time. Doubles can change so quickly, and it did.”
Nothing short of epic 🇦🇺#GoAussies | #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/J3R2sDHt4B
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) November 25, 2022
By the numbers
Sunday will be Australia’s 48th Davis Cup final appearance – but for the first time since 2003, when they won their 28th and most-recent Davis Cup title.
“Quotable …”
“I’m just happy to give our country a chance. Very happy with my performance. We play with passion; we play with pride and I know our doubles guys will leave it all out there.”
– Alex de Minaur of Australia, after his straight-set win over Marin Cilic sent the Australia-Croatia tie to a deciding rubber.
Australia 2, Croatia 1
Semifinal – At Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena, Malaga, Spain
• Borna Coric (CRO) def. Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS), 6-4, 6-3.
• Alex de Minaur (AUS) def. Marin Cilic (CRO), 6-2, 6-2.
• Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson (AUS) def. Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic (CRO), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4.
Who will join the Aussies in the Final? 👇
Italy 🇮🇹 or 🇨🇦 Canada?#DavisCup #byRakuten | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/y6U2kiucXt
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 25, 2022
