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Journalism of Courage
Australia won the Davis Cup for the 28th time on Sunday when Mark Philippoussis beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in an epic five-set struggle. Needing to win just one of the two concluding rubbers to secure the title, Australia snatched an unbeatable 3-1 lead when Philippoussis won his match 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0.
The fifth match between Lleyton Hewitt and Carlos Moya was immediately called off as the players and crowd burst into spontaneous celebration.
Philippoussis, who had lost his opening singles match to Moya on Friday, produced a near-perfect demonstration of grasscourt tennis to race to a 2-0 lead against the world8217;s third-ranked player.
The Wimbledon finalist fired down an array of aces and accurate volleys and crisp groundstrokes to overpower Ferrero, whose natural baseline game is better suited to clay.
The Spaniard fought back gallantly to force the match into a deciding fifth set despite having a leg injury but could not raise his game again. 8216;8216;The feeling is bad and of sadness,8217;8217; Ferrero said. 8216;8216;We came here with a lot hope. We wanted to win this final. We had a bit of bad luck.8217;8217;
Philippoussis regained the ascendancy when he broke Ferrero in the second game of the final set. Roared on by a full-house at Melbourne Park8217;s Rod Laver Arena, his momentum carried him to victory and he collapsed in joy after sealing his win with an overhead smash.
Australia were always heavy favourites to win tennis8217; most famous team trophy after playing at home on a temporary grass court that suited their players. Friday8217;s opening singles had been split 1-1 after Hewitt beat Ferrero in five sets and Philippoussis lost to Moya but the odds were dramatically shortened in the hosts8217; favour when Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge won Saturday8217;s doubles rubber.
Despite Australia8217;s great record in Davis Cup, they hadn8217;t won the title on home soil since 1986 and their only win since then was in France in 1999 when Philippoussis was again the hero. Reuters
