After beating France in its opening tie on the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage, Australia subsequent turns its consideration to the problem posed by Czech Republic.
Valencia, Spain, 12 September 2024 | Matt Trollope
Australia will look to proceed its so-far-unbeaten run on the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage when it takes on Czech Republic on Thursday afternoon in Valencia (Friday 12am AEST).
The Aussies started with a 2-1 tie victory over France two days in the past, and subsequent meet a Czech squad coming off a 3-0 loss to hosts Spain.
> READ MORE: Australia edges out thrilling victory towards France
What’s extra, the Czechs suffered a possible setback when No.1 singles participant Tomas Machac endured bodily issues – considered cramping – which compelled him to retire early within the third set of his singles rubber towards Carlos Alcaraz.
Nonetheless, Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt isn’t taking them flippantly.
“It’s going to be a tricky tie. Our two remaining ties are going to be powerful,” stated Hewitt, additionally referencing Australia’s upcoming tie towards Spain on Sunday.
“Machac’s now clearly the No.1 on rating as properly; [Jiri] Lehecka’s No.2. [Jakub] Mensik they might throw in as properly, who’s a high quality participant who performed properly in New York.
“They’ve obtained loads of choices, they usually have a superb doubles group as properly. So gained’t be taking something as a right.”
The Aussies and the Czechs have met 10 instances in Davis Cup play, with Australia successful 9 of these ties, together with the previous 4.
The latest of these got here in final yr’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. Australia gained 2-1 to advance to the semifinal stage, the place a win over Finland catapulted them right into a second straight ultimate.
Australia is searching for its first Davis Cup title since 2003, and twenty ninth general.
And its momentum is constructing in Spain.
Thanasi Kokkinakis’ straight-sets win over Arthur Fils – his sixth singles victory within the group competitors – put the Aussies in a successful place earlier than Matt Ebden and Max Purcell clinched the tie in a dwell doubles rubber.
Ebden and Purcell have constructed a glowing 7-1 win-loss document in Davis Cup and are undefeated within the competitors since 2022, the identical yr they gained the Wimbledon males’s doubles title.
They’re on a five-match successful streak as a pair in Davis Cup play.
“I simply again the truth that Matty and I accomplish that properly once we’re optimistic and play collectively,” stated Purcell, after beating Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, each main doubles champions themselves.
“So any group that is available in towards us at 1-1 has form of in all probability felt like they’ve misplaced the day anyway.”
