Australia may have sealed a spot in the Davis Cup Finals knockout stage but it didn't stop team captain Lleyton Hewitt from slamming the competition's format as "ridiculous" and ripping one particular detail as "stupid."
ADVERTISEMENT
This past week in Valencia, Australia earned back-to-back wins over France and the Czech Republic before losing to Spain 1-2 on the final day of the grou stage when everything was already sealed.
However, it is not that Australia's expedition in Valencia was a cakewalk since they were without their top-ranked player Alex de Minaur who was battling a hip issue. Also, their best doubles duo - Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell - arrived very tired since they played the US Open final just three days earlier. And while Thompson managed to play in one singles match, he didn't play doubles at all as Purcell - although he was tired - teamed up with Matt Ebden in three matches.
Fortunately for Hewitt's side, Alexei Popyrin and Thanasi Kokkinakis were a bit fresher and they combined for a total of four singles wins.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hewitt: That's the stupid part...
After calling out the format because he didn't think it made sense to have the Davis Cup played just two days after the US Open final, the former two-time Grand Slam champion also said it was "stupid" to have his team and Spain play against each other after they already secured a quarterfinal ticket.
We have had a few guys this week pretty banged up. It would have been very easy for a few of my boys to not turn up this week, but they have come and put on the green and gold and have done absolutely everything I have asked of them, so I am super proud. To try and ask players to play the second day after a Grand Slam finishes [is] not easy," Hewitt said.
"In the old (weekend) format, I used to have to do it, but youd at least have until Friday before you had to play. Now to play on Tuesday, its ridiculous. Thats the stupid part of this format, isnt it? You know, I can keep saying it. But the format is what it is, and well do what we need to do to get through and give ourselves a chance of hopefully holding up the trophy."
ADVERTISEMENT
Australia will now try to win their Davis Cup title since 2003 when the knockout stage takes place in Malaga between November 09-14.
