Thanasi Kokkinakis defended four match points and had tennis statisticians reaching for their record books as Australia defeated the United States in the Davis Cup on Friday morning.

Aussie captain Lleyton Hewitt’s team progressed after a decisive doubles rubber and move through to the semi-finals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

World number four Taylor Fritz had pulled the US level in the tie by beating Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 in the second singles rubber before Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul.

In the opening clash Kokkinakis edged Shelton 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (16/14) with a gripping tie-break triumph.

The Australia-USA match-up is the most played in Davis Cup history with this their 48th meeting, with the first back in 1905.

Australia, who have lifted the trophy 28 times, second only to the USA, last won the tournament in 2003 and finished as runners-up in the last two editions.

The latest instalment was full of drama.

With Fritz leading the charge for a strong US squad, the Americans were hoping for a first title since 2007 and he breezed past De Minaur in 71 minutes.

However Kokkinakis’ tie-break heroics and Australia’s doubles team won them an even quarter-final clash in Malaga.

The final set tiebreak between Shelton and Kokkinakis dropped jaws around the tennis world with the Australian only converting on his seventh match point — having also needed to defend four of his own.

According to tennis commentator Craig Gabriel, it was the longest tie break of Kokkinakis’ career. It was also the longest tie break the Davis Cup has witnessed since 2019 and also the sixth longest in the history of the international team competition.

Leading tennis reporter Jose Morgado was one of the commentators blown away.

“OMG. EPIC STUFF!!!! Thanasi Kokkinakis beats Ben Shelton 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (16-14) and Australia gets an important 1-0 lead,” he posted on X, previously known as Twitter.

The world No. 77 fell to the floor and thumped his chest when he converted match point as his teammates went berserk on the side of the court.

“That was incredible. Thanks for the atmosphere,” he said in his on-court interview.

“I don’t know if I’ve been that pumped up in my life, I wanted that one bad, I wanted to help my team,” said the Australian.

“(The tie-break) was tough, we were both serving well, I think I only got tight on one shot… he was serving incredibly, I can’t even speak, I’m happy.”

He said he was surprised that the United States opted to put Shelton, ranked No. 21, on the court instead of Paul, ranked No. 12.

Paul got his shot in the doubles, Thompson and Ebden were a class above.

“We had to rush out here and get the job done for our country and we love nothing more than those pressure moments,” said veteran Ebden, 36.

“It’s so fun to play together and get the win for our country.”

Fritz, who finished as runner-up in the ATP Finals last week and reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in September in a superb season for him, was too strong for De Minaur to handle.

A single break in the second game was enough for him to take the first set against the world number nine, whom he also beat in Turin.

De Minaur improved in the second but the relentless Fritz powered to victory. “I’m maybe a little bit more nervy just because it’s Davis Cup, it’s a team event, but I feel like I handled it well,” said Fritz.

“I played a lot of big points well today.”

US captain Bryan opted for two singles players in Shelton and Paul over his doubles specialists.

Australia broke for a 2-1 lead when Paul miss-hit a forehand which flew far too long, and it was enough.

Ebden won gold at the Paris Olympics in doubles as well as triumphing at the Australian Open this year, and he and Thompson held to love to finish the set.

The second set was a similarly tight affair until Lleyton Hewitt’s duo converted their fourth break point in the ninth game, for a 5-4 lead which they served out.

“I’m super proud of the boys and the effort they put in,” said Australia’s captain Hewitt.

Later Thursday Jannik Sinner’s Italy, the defending champions, face Argentina in the last quarter-final clash, with the winner facing Australia.

The Netherlands, who defeated Rafael Nadal’s Spain on Tuesday, battle Germany in the first semi-final on Friday.

— with AFP