Davis Cup 2023: Alex de Minaur stars as Australia snatch semi-final spot from Czech Republic’s grasp
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Updated 22/11/2023 at 23:14 GMT
Australia will play Finland in the semi-finals of the 2023 Davis Cup after recovering from 1-0 down to beat the Czech Republic in Malaga. Tomas Machic put the Czechs ahead before Alex de Minaur came back from the brink of defeat against Jiri Lehecka to force a deciding doubles. Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell completed the victory with a straight-sets win to book a last-four spot.
Alex De Minaur of Australia celebrates a point in the Davis Cup Quarter Final match against Jiri Lehecka of Czechia at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on November 22, 2023 in Malaga, Spain.
Image credit: Getty Images
Australia set up a Davis Cup last-four meeting with Finland after coming from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the quarter-finals in Malaga, Spain.
Tomas Machic, the world No. 78, had put the Czechs ahead with a 6-4 7-5 win over Jordan Thompson.
But Alex de Minaur turned the tide in Australia's favour, recovering from the brink of defeat to level the contest with a thrilling three-set victory over Jiri Lehecka.
The duo of Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell then proved too strong for Lehecka and Adam Pavlasek in the deciding doubles to send Lleyton Hewitt’s side into the semi-finals.
It means Australia will face Finland for a place in the final, the team that ended the reign of defending champions Canada.
Machac got the Czech Republic off to the perfect start with a 6-4 7-5 victory in the opening singles clash.
The 23-year-old broke in the first game of the match and that proved decisive as he wrapped up the opener.
The second set went with serve until 4-4 before Machac broke to move 5-4 ahead. Thompson hit back to restore parity at 5-5 but lost serve again and Machac made no mistake when given a second chance to close out the match, completing the win in just under two hours.
The second singles tie between Lehecka and De Minaur was a pulsating contest which featured several momentum swings across more than two-and-a-half gruelling hours of tennis.
Lehecka seized the early initiative with a break to lead 3-2 before surviving a mammoth game to close out the first set.
De Minaur was left to rue five missed chances to pull level at 5-5 but would make amends in the second set. The Czech once again secured an early break but faltered with the winning line in sight.
At 5-4 with an opportunity to seal his country’s progress, Lehecka coughed up his serve to love before the Australian dominated the tie-break to send the match into a decider.
This time it was De Minaur who struck first to move 2-0 clear, but Lehecka won three games in a row and earned three break points at 0-40 to make it four.
He failed to convert and the Australian made him pay, breaking at 5-5 and serving the match out to love to level the contest at 1-1.
Like the first quarter-final, it all hinged on the doubles. But unlike the match before, Ebden and Purcell proved too strong for their opponents in what was a one-sided contest.
A single break in each set was enough for a 6-4 7-5 win and to complete the comeback.
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