- Max Purcell and Matt Ebden deliver key win in Valencia
- Injured Alex de Minaur watches on from sidelines
Australia made a winning start in their quest to land a 29th Davis Cup, which is now into its third decade. Thanasi Kokkinakis set Lleyton Hewitt’s team on their way with a tight win against Arthur Fils but Alexei Popyrin came up against an inspired Ugo Humbert.
That meant the match, the first of the group stage round-robin in Valencia, Spain, came down to the doubles. Max Purcell and Matt Ebden delivered, beating Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in three tense sets, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.