Alex de Minaur defeats Marton Fucsovics to present Thanasi Kokkinakis the chance to finish a Davis Cup victory for Australia within the dwell fifth match.
Sydney, Australia , 5 March 2022 | Vivienne Christie
Alex de Minaur has stored Australia’s hopes of victory within the Davis Cup qualifier alive with a straight-sets win over Marton Fucsovics.
In one more impressed efficiency from the passionate workforce competitor, De Minaur wore down the resolute Fucsovics to say a 7-6(4) 6-4 victory in two hours and 11 minutes.
It was a must-win match for the Australian, after Luke Saville and John Friends suffered a shock straight-sets loss within the doubles.
“We’ve received immense satisfaction, immense ardour and one factor you may rely on for the Aussie Davis Cup workforce is we’re by no means going to surrender,” stated De Minaur, after exuberant victory celebrations at Ken Rosewall Area.
In a sometimes relentless show of retrieving and resilience, De Minaur wore down a tiring Fucsovic, who at world No.35 is ranked simply 5 locations beneath the Australian.
A turning level got here as De Minaur saved two break factors within the eighth recreation of an intense first set – one in every of them with a 41-stroke rally that prolonged for nearly a minute.
By no means. Again. Down. 💪
Textbook @alexdeminaur #GoAussies • @DavisCup pic.twitter.com/yLh7p3ezDR
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) March 5, 2022
They have been the one break factors of the hard-fought opener and when it prolonged to a tiebreak, De Minaur’s well-known willpower as soon as once more got here into play.
A sequence of errors noticed him trailing 0-3 however by cleverly extending the rallies the Australian earned a bonus. Whereas Fucsovics appeared more and more diminished, De Minaur appeared energised as he secured the set in 56 minutes.
“Each level counts. I imply, right here (at) Davis Cup, each single match you step out on courtroom and each single level counts,” De Minaur commented of the mindset that noticed him work his method again within the tense tiebreak.
“It was simple to simply drop my head and provides a few unfastened factors however I managed to hold in there and switch that round and that was a pivotal second for this match.”
After taking a 3-0 lead within the second set, the Australian confronted a problem when the Hungarian broke again within the fifth recreation.
However with a complete of 5 break factors accrued, De Minaur was additionally creating alternatives. As Fusovics served at 4-5 within the second set, the Australian astutely pressured errors to earn a trio of match factors.
Highlighting the standard of the tennis, Fucsovics saved one match level with a shocking backhand volley winner, one other with an ace and the third with an unreturnable first serve.
The fourth time was a allure as De Minaur secured victory when a Fucsovics forehand went huge.
MAKE SOME NOISE 🇦🇺@alexdeminaur pulls out all of the stops to degree the tie with Hungary.
He defeats Marton Fucsovics 7-6(4) 6-4 ⚡️#GoAussies • @DavisCup pic.twitter.com/WVa3t3rzWw
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) March 5, 2022
Earlier, Fabian Marozsan and Mate Valkulz had shocked Friends and Saville within the doubles. The Hungarians, who’re every ranked exterior the top-500 in doubles, claimed a 6-4 6-4 win over the Australians in 68 minutes.
It validated a call to call Valkulz as a late substitute for Fucsovics in Hungary’s doubles workforce, with the 23-year-old an image of composure as they undermined the world No.11 Friends and No.53 Saville.
Thanasi Kokkinakis now takes to the courtroom in opposition to No.2 Hungarian Zsombor Piros, as Australia goals to progress to the Davis Cup Finals for a 3rd straight 12 months.
Australia v Hungary, Davis Cup qualifier
RESULTS – Day Two
Fabian Marozsan/Mate Valkulz (HUN) d John Friends/Luke Saville (AUS) 6-4 6-4
Alex de Minaur (AUS) d Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 7-6(4) 6-4
COMING UP – Day Two
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Zsombor Piros (HUN)
