"Would've been hard to look at Alex de Minaur in the hotel" - Lleyton Hewitt, Max Purcell on Aussie 'saving' the squad in 2023 Davis Cup Finals QF

Alex de Minaur has earned plaudits from Lleyton Hewitt and Max Purcell for his heroics during Australia’s quarterfinal tie against the Czech Republic in the 2023 Davis Cup Finals.

The Aussie squad overcame the enormous challenge posed by their Czech counterparts on Wednesday, November 22, to book their spot in the semifinals of the Davis Cup Finals for the second year in a row.

Australia’s Jordon Thompson kicked off the three-match tie against the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac. The World No. 56 was unsuccessful in his contribution, as he went down 4-6, 5-7.

With Australia being just one match away from crashing out of the event, Alex de Minaur took the court against Jiri Lehecka. The Acapulco champion trailed for the most part and found himself one game away from defeat when Lehecka served for the match at 6-4, 5-3.

At this point, De Minaur turned the corner and eventually stole the second set 7-6 (2) in the tiebreak. He then edged the Czech in the deciding set to pull off a remarkable 4-6, 6-6 (2), 7-5 win.

The final doubles rubber thus decided the outcome of the tie. Aussies Max Purcell and Matthew Ebden took on Czechs Adam Pavlasek and Jiri Lehecka. The double specialists got the job done for their country in straight sets [6-4, 7-5].

The team’s captain, former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, credited Alex de Minaur for tilting the scales in their favor. He also compared the compatriot’s tenacious nature to his own.

“I pride myself on a never-say-die attitude and he’s certainly in the same category. For him to go out there and put the boys on his back again, we’re so proud of him. He had to dig really deep and yet again he saved us,” Hewitt said in the presser.

Max Purcell, too, noted that the World No. 12’s efforts encouraged him to go all out in his doubles match.

“It would have been hard to look at Alex in the hotel if we hadn’t won,” he joked.

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Alex de Minaur on turning the corner for team Australia at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals: "It's part of my identity"

Alex de Minaur and Jiri Lehecka at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals

Alex de Minaur, too, was elated to have saved the day for his home team at the Davis Cup Finals.

However, this is not the first time that the World No. 12 has pulled off a miraculous escape this season. At the Paris Masters a few weeks back, the 24-year-old, who trailed against Andy Murray 2-5 in the deciding set, bounced back in the nick of time to produce a 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5 victory, saving a match point in the process.

The Canadian Open runner-up staged similar comebacks at the Masters 1000 event in Toronto as well. He defeated Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-1 despite the American having two set point opportunities in the opener, leading 5-1. In the quarterfinal against Daniil Medvedev, the Aussie was down 2-5 in the first set, as well as in the tiebreak, but he pulled a rabbit out of the hat yet again to snatch the lead and eventually defeated the World No. 3, 7-6 (7), 7-5.

“I think my reputation is quite strong when it comes to these types of situations. It kind of precedes me,” Alex de Minaur said in his Davis Cup presser.

“It would have been quite easy for me to roll over under the circumstances, but that’s just not the type of player I am. I have had plenty of these types of matches in my career. It’s part of my identity. I’m not going to give up. I’m going to fight until the end,” he added.

Team Australia, who is defending their runner-up finish from last year, will now face team Finland in the semifinals of the 2023 Davis Cup Finals on Friday, November 24.