Fantastic in Florianopolis

April of 2001, the Davis Cup quarter finals. Hewitt and Australia travel to take on Brazil on the hometown clay court of Gustavo Kuerten, the reigning French Open champion who would win his third French Open crown weeks later. On day 1 the 12000 boisterous home fans witness Hewitt comfortably beat Fernando Meligeni 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 and the day ended with the teams tied at 1-1 after Kuerten defeated Pat Rafter, with Rafter retiring citing elbow pain while Kuerten was 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 2-1 up.

The doubles rubber on day 2 pits Hewitt and Pat Rafter against Kuerten and Oncins in a match that will undeniably swing the tie in favour of the victors. Hewitt and Rafter pull off the victory 7-6 (7) 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5) in a match that led Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald to remark "It's easy to get carried away, but I can't remember seeing anything in doubles that was better than that, certainly in the last decade".

The following day, the fourth rubber, and Hewitt takes on the best clay courter of his generation in his own back yard. After breaking Brazilian hearts with three tiebreak set wins in the doubles, Hewitt holds firm in two further tiebreaks against Guga to win 7-6 (5) 6-3 7-6 (3) and book Australia's place in the semi finals against Sweden. "I came with all my weapons and he had all the right answers at the right times" Kuerten remarked.
"This is an incredible feeling for me, beating Guga in his hometown, on his favourite surface," Hewitt said. "This was the best match I've ever played.."



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/davis_cup/news/2001/04/06/brazil_australia_ap/
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/davis_cup/news/2001/04/07/brazil_australia_ap/
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/davis_cup/news/2001/04/08/australia_brazil_ap/