Davis Cup: Australia - Inspired by team spirit
Lleyton Hewitt's team are in the final of the Davis Cup 2022 in Malaga. And it shows that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 25, 2022, 11:51 pm
Malaga is neither Sydney nor Melbourne. And of course there would have been even more ecstatic cheering over the surprising success of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson against Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, which brought Australian into the final of the Davis Cup 2022. But Alex de Minaur's facial expressions alone throughout the third set were worth the entrance fee. It was almost foreseeable that at the end there were even a few tears.
The final format introduced in 2019 can be argued with, the empty halls in the Caja Magica in Madrid, especially in the premiere year, were not an advertisement for tennis. But you have to give credit to the ITF and organizer Kosmos for making some adjustments that have made the competition even more attractive. Like the intermediate rounds in September, where at least four nations (Germany in Hamburg, Italy in Bologna, Spain in Valencia and Great Britain in Glasgow) played a home game.
Lleyton Hewitt looks as if he wants to pitch himself
The Australians had complained in Hamburg about the inhospitable conditions at Rothenbaum, now they are in the final. Thanks to an outstanding Alex de Minaur in singles against Marin Cilic. And also because of a surprisingly strong doubles Jordan Thompson, who had scored against the Netherlands in singles. Did Lleyton Hewitt know more than anyone else here? Or if Matthew Ebden just really couldn't play?
The fact that the Aussies beat the power pairing Mektic/Pavic with a Wimbledon double that was torn apart was of course also duly celebrated by the Australian team boss. Especially since Hewitt still gives the impression that he would like to pitch himself.
Emotionally, the Australians would rather want the decimated Italians than the nominally stronger Canadians in the final. But the great team spirit of the Hewitt squad can become a problem for both teams. Maybe de Minaur and Co. will have tears of joy again on Sunday evening.