Former world No.1 doubles participant and Davis Cup legend John Fitzgerald hails Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson, Matt Ebden and John Friends for his or her doubles heroics in 2024.
Melbourne, 10 September 2024 | Dan Imhoff> READ: Australia opens Davis Cup marketing campaign towards France
With Australia as a result of face France, Czech Republic and Spain within the Davis Cup group stage in Valencia this week, it meant Australia was blessed with three high 10 doubles gamers within the group.
“I believe Max Purcell is arguably one of the best first-courter on the planet, if he places his thoughts to it on that first court docket,” Fitzgerald mentioned in an interview with The Sit-Down. “A part of what made that gold medal win of Ebden and Friends so nice in the long run, certainly one of them needed to transfer to the primary court docket.
“So, John Friends confirmed lots of versatility to have the ability to transfer throughout from that aspect he performed on, underneath strain on a clay court docket and taking part in in that first court docket. He deserves lots of credit score for that… It was nice to see the Aussies doing properly. Historically we’ve got on this nation.”
> LISTEN: The Sit-Down with John Fitzgerald
Having let championship factors slip within the Wimbledon closing, Purcell and Thompson atoned for the frustration at Flushing Meadows the place they denied German pair Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz for Thompson’s first main doubles trophy and Purcell’s second, having claimed Wimbledon with Ebden two years in the past.
It marked Purcel and Thompson’s fifth title collectively this season following Dallas, Los Cabos, Houston and the Madrid Masters.
“I really feel like Australian doubles has at all times had good gamers,” Purcell mentioned. “We had Peersy earlier than us sort of going deep in Slams, and Ebby final yr had a extremely good run after which into the beginning of this yr, myself and Ebby a pair years earlier than that.
“I simply suppose we’re such well-rounded gamers that when we have to play doubles and determine the best way to win doubles matches, we’ve acquired greater than sufficient court docket craft to do this.
The remaining is historical past 💚💛
Epic #DavisCup story instructed by John Fitzgerald feat. @lleytonhewitt 🎧 https://t.co/Q6r3CarVU1 pic.twitter.com/YosssZVsfy
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) September 9, 2024
“I assume the camaraderie of Australian gamers, all of us sort of stick collectively, Thommo and I particularly. That’s an enormous think about why we win.”
Fitzgerald, who additionally rose to a career-high No.25 in singles, relished the identical bond between his countrymen and praised the platform for group success that Davis Cup offered.
“I believe to play on a Davis Cup group and win a few occasions after which be captain was, that for me is probably the most memorable factor in my profession,” he mentioned. “The nerves that you just expertise taking part in in your nation is unparalleled for me. The strain that you just realized to cope with and generally not deal so properly with is one of the best studying curve {that a} younger tennis participant can have.”
The Davis Cup Finals can be broadcast dwell in Australia on the 9 Community. Protection of the primary tie towards France begins at 12am AEST on Wednesday 11 September.
