Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Alex de Minaur can seal Australia’s Davis cup progression after the hosts notched a rousing doubles win over Poland in Brisbane.
Max Purcell’s scintillating tiebreak tennis alongside rock-solid Rinky Hijikata swung their match and the tie in Australia’s favour in Sunday’s opening match.
Their 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat of Jan Zielinski and Karol Drzewiecki followed a win and a loss in singles for de Minaur and James Duckworth respectively on Saturday.
De Minaur can secure progression to next year’s qualifying round in the fourth rubber against Polish No.1 Kamil Majchrzak, who rallied to down Duckworth in three sets on day one.
Duckworth and Maks Kasnikowski are slated to play the fifth rubber if Poland level the tie at 2-2.
Purcell, on the comeback from a controversial 18-month anti-doping ban, turned the match on its head after a tight first set progressed to an inevitable tiebreak.
He drilled his backhand return to win the opening point on the Polish serve and then produced a pair of aces to shoot the hosts clear 3-0.
A Poland unforced error was followed by two more Purcell winners, and he then held his nerve on a series of low volleys to eventually clinch the set.
Hijikata then held impressively and, after missing two break-point chances, nailed a forehand return to nab the match’s first service break.
That was all Australia needed, the composed pair energising the sold-out Pat Rafter Arena to secure a pressure-relieving victory in 77 minutes.
“It was unreal. The energy today was off the charts,” Hijikata said.
“Everyone’s got to really get behind Alex. We need one more, so get loud.”
