HEROIC HEWITT DOES IT AGAIN
DAVIS Cup legend and supersub Lleyton Hewitt produced something not even he had achieved before in his record- breaking career to complete Australia’s historic, come- from- behind victory over Kazakhstan.
Australia’s Davis Cup captain Wally Masur’s gutsy move to thrust Sam Groth and Hewitt – doubles heroes on Saturday – into the reverse singles, at the expense of day- one losers Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, led to a famous triumph.
Hewitt, who will retire after next year’s Australian Open, had never won a fifth rubber in his Australian-leading 40 Davis Cup ties, but erased that rare hole from his resume with a 7- 6 ( 2) 6- 2 6- 3 defeat of Aleksandr Nedovyesov.
Wild scenes broke out as the 34- year- old’s teammates and support staff charged onto Darwin’s makeshift grass court to celebrate their progression to the World Group semi- finals for the first time since 2006.
“This is up there. I love the back- against- thewall situation and that’s what we had after day one,” Hewitt said. “We didn’t have everything go our way this weekend and we had to rally together and find a way of getting a win and this is a team competition.
“You’re not playing for yourself out here; you’re playing for the boys on the side of the court and you’re playing for your nation as well. I’ve always said some of my greatest wins are in Davis Cup and probably all my toughest losses are in Davis Cup, so I’m going to enjoy this one.”
Hewitt also played a key role in Australia’s 1999 and 2003 Davis Cup wins.
Australia had only once before reeled in a 2- 0 advantage in Davis Cup competition, and that was 76 years ago through Adrian Quist and John Bromwich, but Hewitt ensured it happened again.
Great Britain or France awaits Australia, with the Andy Murray- led Brits leading 2- 1 going into the final day of their clash.
Groth deserves just as much credit, having played superbly alongside the former world No. 1 in Saturday’s doubles before scoring a pressure- packed 6- 3 7- 6 ( 6) 4- 6 7- 6 ( 6) triumph over Kazakh spearhead Mikhail Kukushkin to level the tie.
Masur’s decision to dump Kyrgios, a largely disgruntled walking headline in recent weeks, was a particularly bold one and a none- toosubtle reminder Australia has other options.
Groth and Hewitt are Australia’s fourth and fifth choices when you consider banished bad boy Bernard Tomic is the national No. 1.
Masur said during the week he still hoped Tomic would be part of Australia’s semi- final squad.