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
Australia’s doubles renaissance on the most important levels in 2024 is music to nine-time Grand Slam champion John Fitzgerald’s ears and presents a useful predicament for the nation’s Davis Cup marketing campaign, in accordance with the previous world No.1.
Fitzgerald, who accomplished the doubles profession Grand Slam and picked up two combined doubles crowns between 1982 and 1991, hailed the state of the nation’s doubles shares following Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson’s first main title collectively on the US Open.
The 2-time Davis Cup winner and 2003 profitable captain hailed Australia’s latest kind, which included Matt Ebden and John Friends’ Olympic doubles gold medal in Paris and Ebden’s Australian Open triumph in January with Indian companion Rohan Bopanna.
> READ: Australia opens Davis Cup marketing campaign towards France
With Australia attributable to face France, Czech Republic and Spain within the Davis Cup group stage in Valencia this week, it meant Australia was blessed with three prime 10 doubles gamers within the workforce.
“I feel Max Purcell is arguably the most effective first-courter on this planet, if he places his thoughts to it on that first courtroom,” Fitzgerald stated 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, one among them needed to transfer to the primary courtroom.
“So, John Friends confirmed a whole lot of versatility to have the ability to transfer throughout from that facet he performed on, below strain on a clay courtroom and enjoying in that first courtroom. He deserves a whole lot of credit score for that… It was nice to see the Aussies doing effectively. Historically we have now on this nation.”
> LISTEN: The Sit-Down with John Fitzgerald
Having let championship factors slip within the Wimbledon last, 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 all the time had good gamers,” Purcell stated. “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 assume we’re such well-rounded gamers that when we have to play doubles and work out tips on how to win doubles matches, we’ve obtained greater than sufficient courtroom craft to try this.
The remaining is historical past 💚💛
Epic #DavisCup story advised 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 workforce success that Davis Cup offered.
“I feel to play on a Davis Cup workforce and win a few occasions after which be captain was, that for me is probably the most memorable factor in my profession,” he stated. “The nerves that you just expertise enjoying in your nation is unparalleled for me. The strain that you just discovered to take care of and generally not deal so effectively with is the most effective studying curve {that a} younger tennis participant can have.”
The Davis Cup Finals can be broadcast reside in Australia on the 9 Community. Protection of the primary tie towards France begins at 12am AEST on Wednesday 11 September.