Matching Report
Kokkinakis heroics vs. Shelton helps Australia defeat USA in Davis Cup
Ebden/Thompson’s score decided the doubles
November 21, 2024
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images
Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates after saving four points against Ben Shelton in Thursday’s Davis Cup Final 8.
By ATP staff
Is 2024 the year Australia finally return to the Davis Cup winners’ circle?
The 28-time champions took a dramatic step towards their first club title since 2003 on Thursday with a thrilling 2-1 victory over the United States in Malaga. Australia, runners-up in 2022 and 2023, can look to Thanasi Kokkinakis’ stunning opening goals as the key to their victory in the quarter-finals.
Kokkinakis saved four points and conceded six of his own before winning 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(14) against Ben Shelton in the opener. It was a sensational reward for captain Lleyton Hewitt, who is ranked No. 77 in the PIF ATP Rankings at No. 2 singles despite being Australia’s top-ranked fourth-ranked player.
“The choice is never easy,” Hewitt said. “Tanasi played two amazing games for us in Valencia a few months ago. We decided to put him on ice until now and release him today. He paid us back in full. That was fun.”
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In a rematch of their Nitto ATP Finals match from last week, Taylor Fritz faced Alex de Minaur in the No. 1 singles match. Just as he did in Turin, Fritz prevailed, winning 6-3, 6-4 to force a decisive doubles rubber. That effort later came to naught, however, as Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson defeated Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-4 to send the Australian bench and its fans into raptures.
“It’s unbelievable. We got a break right there at 4-4 [in the second set] and I could run over the whole bench there,” said Thompson. “I always wear my heart on my sleeve and I bleed blue and gold.”
Ebden and Thompson’s win came after United States captain Bob Bryan opted for a late change to his two-man lineup, with Paul and Shelton replacing Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.
“We were expecting two more, but we knew they had amazing players who could play doubles,” Ebden said. “We were ready. A minor adjustment apparently. Great singles serve better than doubles, perhaps, but it was as big a challenge as any. Out here, the last live game, just playing with Jordan out here was really fun. Following what Kokk did, Alex unfortunately went down, but what a day. It’s great, I’m very happy.”
Australia will now prepare for Saturday’s semi-final against defending champions Italy, led by World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, or Argentina. If Hewitt and his team go on to lift the title on Sunday in Malaga, they will take their country’s longest wait for the Davis Cup trophy (21 years) since they first won in 1907.
“We have a rich history in this tournament over 100 years, so these guys know all the great players who have played before them and it’s a great honor every time you get the chance to wear the green and gold here,” Hewitt said. “We’ve had the same group of six guys that have really put their hands up for the last three or four years, and they’ve come together really well.
“We’ve had to make small changes at times due to injuries, and I’m very proud of the whole team as a group.”
