Kokkinakis earns remarkable Davis Cup win

Teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis has staged a remarkable comeback to hand Australia a dream start in their Davis Cup World Group clash in the Czech Republic.

The 18-year-old, playing in his first live rubber in front of a parochial crowd in Ostrava, came from two sets down to upset Czech No.1 Lukas Rosol 4-6 2-6 7-5 7-5 6-3 in three-and-a-half hours on Friday.

The gutsy performance vindicated a bold selection decision by newly-appointed captain Wally Masur and put Australia in a great position to win the round one tie and secure a first victory in the competition’s top tier since 2006.

Australian No.1 Bernard Tomic faces Jiri Vesely in Friday’s second singles match for a chance to earn Australia a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five indoor hardcourt battle.

Kokkinakis only came into the Australian squad after fellow teenager Nick Kyrgios withdrew due to a back injury.

However Masur put his faith in the in-form world No.133 for the opening-day singles, opting to save veteran Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth for Saturday’s doubles.

Kokkinakis started slowly in Cez Arena, losing his opening service game to love.

Just as a small group of Australian supporters had their chants drowned out by the horns and drums of the Czech fans, Kokkinakis had no answers for Rosol’s powerful game.

However, facing a straight-sets defeat with 31st-ranked Rosol serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, Kokkinakis found something at just the right time, securing his first break and then another to extend the match.

With the momentum on his side and his courtside teammates urging him on passionately, he then edged a tense fourth set 7-5.

The Australian, who reached the second round of this year’s Australian Open, faced another setback in the decider, falling behind a break at 3-2.

But, showing the kind of fight his legendary Davis Cup teammate Hewitt is renowned for, he again hit straight back and finished strongly to secure a memorable win and stun the Czech crowd.

Czech Republic, title winners in 2012 and 2013, are top seeds for this year’s competition but are missing big guns Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.

A win in this weekend’s tie would earn 28-time champions Australia a home quarter-final against either Italy or Kazakhstan.

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