Australia is down 2-0 to France after Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios both suffered straight-sets defeats.
Pat Rafter could only watch on in the comfort of his Bonds undies.
Hewitt went down 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) to 10th-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga while teenager Kyrgios was beaten by Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-2. The two Frenchmen being bolstered by a home crowd advantage and being “just too good, simple as that” according to Hewitt.
Kyrgios showed some of his YOLO spirit that won our hearts during the Australian Open when he battled his way through the first set against Gasquet, resulting in a tiebreaker. Although the Frenchman outclassed him, it was promising to see a young Australian tennis star not being pulled over in an orange BMW or throwing in the towel. Ahem.
It’s hasn’t been the best start to a Davis Cup comeback. The last time we played in the competition’s top 16 was back in 2007. With three more matches to play, a loss in any of them will send us back down to the World Group playoffs for an eighth straight year. We haven’t won the competition since 2003.
Next match is scheduled for tomorrow and will see Hewitt and Chris Guccione take on Julien Benneteau and Gael Monfils in a doubles match. Do or die, Rafter insists they won’t be sent back without a fight.
Good luck, fellas.
Photo: Jean-Sebastien Evard via Getty
Via SMH
