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Davis Cup Sunday: Spain tops Group B to finish off the Group Stage week in Valencia following a deciding doubles win with several shortcomings from Australia

by Sports Benches

Oh so close when Alexei Popyrin gave the Aussies a lifeline following his win in the 2nd singles match v Pedro Martinez & if Jordan Thompson won that first game, then we’ve would’ve been on top. But hats off to Spain though on bringing home the deciding doubles win (2-1 series win) that puts them on top of Group B. At least we know that the Aussies are already safe into November Finals week where the Top 8 will battle it out for one trophy also within Spain in Malaga since the Aussies finished 2nd with wins already warranted v France (2-1 series win thanks to our doubles duo of Matt Ebden & Max Purcell) and Czech Republic (3-0 whitewash win).

Gotta say we could’ve won that opening match with Jordan Thompson – who came back off a terrific US Open run lately up until the 4th round – being so close at one stage to try close it out v Pablo Carreno Busta. It’s a shame that his poor serves let him slip away off the back of a really good start before Busta won that opening singles match instead. The final score was 6-2, 2-6 and 6-7 via 7-3 tiebreaker. 

Then as said, Popyrin kept Australia’s hopes alive in the series going into the deciding doubles match for Ebden & Purcell to settle where he continued to be at his best this time v Martinez. His standards continued to soar also coming into the group stage week off his recent career best US Open run (4th Round) with the straight sets win 6-4 & 6-4.

Now we hoped Ebden & Purcell can get the job done v Marcel Granollers & Bautista Agut (again) since we’re always so strong in our doubles performances following a brilliant 2024. Yes, they too didn’t do bad where Ebden & Purcell were so close but not quite enough today unfortunately to hold back the Spanish duo to try bow out on top of Group B. The final score was 7-5, 4-6 and 4-6.

Even though it was a difficult finish to the series v Spain, the Aussies still had a brilliant week in Valencia nonetheless.

Now we have to find who will be our Quarter-Final opponent in the next few days before the road to reclaiming that prestigious trophy begins in late November. Hoping Alex De Minaur will be back fully fit for the right time alongside Popyrin with back up from Thompson as well as our strong doubles combo strikeforce of Ebden, Purcell & John Peers.

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2024 Davis Cup group stage week: Australia now one step to November’s Finals after a 3-0 whitewash win v Czech Republic

by Sports Benches

Gotta say the Aussies were too good v Czech Republic in their 2nd match of the 2024 Davis Cup group stages following a 3-0 whitewash ahead of the 3rd and final series tie this Sunday/Monday AM v Spain.

Glad to hear that Thanasi Kokkinakis was superb once again through the best of three sets in the opening singles game v Jakub Mensik. The first set was easy and although he was unlucky to close out the first attempt during the 2nd set tiebreak, but he found a way though to get things done without too much of a fuss towards the end though by 6-2, 6-7 (2-7 tie) & 6-3.

Going into the next game with Alexei Popyrin, okay, this was a bit different when Tomas Machac had to retire hurt not long after the 2nd singles game was started – in which was so unfortunate to hear.

But a win is a win for the Aussies as they were happy to take it with the series win now already locked in 2-0 before we had one doubles tie to finish off the day featuring Matt Ebden & Max Purcell. The duo have been an unstoppable force as always this time in straight sets 6-4 & 6-2 v Jakub Mensik & Adam Pavlasek.

Now the Aussies still sit on top of Group B with one more series tie left to settle this weekend – they should be good to go for November’s Finals week as long as Spain win tomorrow v France. That way, they will do their absolute best with that Playoffs spot warranted by going all the way against one of the Top sides – especially when playing against one of the host nations over in Valencia. And let’s hope they will bring back Alex De Minaur back in time instead of Popyrin for one of their two singles matches alongside Kokkinakis.

Bring it on to wrap up Australia’s Davis Cup group stage week regardless of result that will hopefully put in a position where they can win that legendary trophy at some point soon enough.

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2024 Davis Cup Group-Stage Week: Matt Ebden & Max Purcell saves the day for the Aussies thanks to their doubles-deciding win over France with 2-1 in this 1st match tie 

by Sports Benches

Gotta say it has been a great finish to the 1st of the three Davis Cup 2024 group stage series matches for the Aussies v France from overnight in Valencia, Spain. Thanasi Kokkinakis got away with a pretty good start when he was simply at the top of his game v Arthur Fils in straight sets, even though this opening singles game wasn’t so easy indeed – 7-6 via 7-4 tiebreak & 7-6 via 7-3 tiebreak. Although in the second singles match, Ugo Humbert was too good for Alexei Popyrin also in straight sets (3-6 & 2-6) which was so unfortunate where Humbert tied with the Aussies at 1-1 apiece for France.

But this tie wasn’t over just yet with the doubles match to settle v the French featuring one of the Paris 2024 men’s double Olympic gold medalist Matt Ebden & one of the new US Open men’s double champ Max Purcell going up against Pierre Hueges Herbert & Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Fortunately, Ebden & Purcell saved the day thanks to our best doubles playing strikeforce as seen regularly across the grand slam tournaments and team group circuit.

They fired off really well where there were some bumps along the way when it comes to the second set but eventually found a way to close out though with the 2-1 series win v France. The final score was 7-5, 5-7 & 6-3 as the Aussies are now onto the 2nd of three series ties in Group B v Czech Republic on Friday morning. Then they will do the best they can possible depending on other results to finish off the group stage weekend on Monday morning v one of the top-ranked sides in Spain.

All they have to do is keep on fighting as another series win would see them one step closer towards locking in that November Finals week spot where the final eight teams will be competing for that one prestigious silverware & no doubt we’d like to have it back this time around after back-to-back recent Final attempts like last year and the year before (in 2022).

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Today’s Tennis match, Max Purcell falls short in a four hour, five-set marathon v Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud after a mighty effort all around at Margaret Court Arena

by Sports Benches

Oh so close but Norwegian Casper Ruud has just won the match as Max Purcell left the men’s singles draw with so much applause from the crowd at Margaret Court Arena. He too has put up such a top notch effort right through the very end before things just didn’t end up his way after four hours of play this afternoon. The final score was 3-6, 7-6 with 7-5 tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-3 & 6-7 with 7-10 tiebreaker.

He’s got the fight Purcell needs to keep it up with such a Top 15 seeded player in Ruud, which wasn’t easy. But He bounced back really well as seen during the 2nd set tiebreak and the 4th set to give himself a lifeline ahead of the 5th & final decider. He looks like he was almost there to bring home an upset against someone he has known from his junior competition days, but just couldn’t quite escape right of time at the finish line there with the loss. It’s his best performance yet in the 2R at this grand slam alongside the Roland Garros in Paris last year as he is 25 right now with the room to improve throughout this year.

Meanwhile, what a player he is from Ruud who proved to be the better challenger after being established at other slams grams over the last few years. Although he has yet to advance past the 4th Round so far here back in 2021, but this is his greatest day today ahead of his next match-up against Briton Cameron Norrie who also got away from his own five set escape v Giulio Zeppieri from Italy. He fired off well with a great start to bring an early lead. Now he might have struggled to keep up the consistency as exposed by Purcell at times, but he managed to stay ahead by regrouping himself towards the end with patience for the win. He has some unfinished business left though with back-to-back 2nd round results off the back end of last year at Wimbledon & the US Open respectively.

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Alex De Minaur & the doubles pair of Max Purcell & Jordan Thompson turned out to be Australia’s saviour in the semis v Croatia as they advanced into Sunday’s Davis Cup Final

by Sports Benches

Australia has done it as they have now punched their ticket for Sunday’s Davis Cup Final following their win in the Doubles decider v Croatia where they wrapped up 2-1 in this series. Their next opponent will either be Italy or Canada as these sides will battle it out in the other Semi-Final later tonight.

We’ll start off with Borna Coric & Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first singles match where both players battled so hard from the very start. However, it was Coric who narrowly escaped Kokkinakis with the opening set lead before he shut him completely in straight sets that gave Croatia a 1-0 headstart. The final score was 4-6, 3-6.

Then we turn our attention to Alex De Minaur v Marin Cilic in the second singles tie that will determine if it’s a Croatia 2-0 whitewash or a lifeline for Australia going into the 3rd & final doubles match. It’s safe to say that De Minaur have saved Australia from the brink of elimination at 1-1 apiece – where he was just too good for Cilic from start to finish – 6-2, 6-2.

And alright here’s the doubles deciding tie now where one of them will advance into Sunday’s Final v the winner of Semi-Final No.1 between Italy or Canada; It’s Max Purcell & Jordan Thompson v Nikola Metkic & Mate Pavic. Like we saw with the opening singles tie earlier on, this opening stage was really competitive by both teams before Croatia narrowly got away unscathed in the first set via tiebreaker. 

But not all hope is lost though from Australia when they never gave up with the rebound after the break that sets up a one-set shootout. In the end, it’s Australia who pulled off comfortably following a tight first half distance, as they have came from behind to close off a stunning 2-1 series win v Croatia. The final score was 6-7 (3-7 tiebreaker), 7-5, 6-4.

We loved the leadership Lleyton Hewitt orchestrated as Team Captain, as well as Purcell & Thompson’s celebration & De Minaur’s roar both on-court & from the crowd. Let’s see if they can go all the way & lift this historic trophy for the first time in 19 years, as Australia want to be an elite challenger again for many years to come.

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