Kyrgios conqueror Aleksandr Nedovyesov in Adelaide – six months after memorable Davis Cup clash against Australia

YOU may not recognise his name but to Aussie tennis buffs, Aleksandr Nedovyesov is the man who almost instigated one of the biggest upsets in recent Davis Cup history.

Aleksandr Nedovyesov, who represented Kazakhstan in the Davis Cup against Australia last year, is playing at the City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger at Happy Valley this week. Picture: Stephen Laffer.

YOU may not recognise his name but to Aussie tennis buffs, Aleksandr Nedovyesov is the man who almost instigated one of the biggest upsets in recent Davis Cup history.

Nedovyesov stunned Nick Kyrgios in four sets to help Kazakhstan take a shock 2-0 lead in its quarter-final against Australia in Darwin in July.

But Lleyton Hewitt inspired an Australian fightback, beating Nedovyesov in the deciding rubber.

Six months on, Nedovyesov is playing at the City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger at Happy Valley and looks back fondly on his country’s Davis Cup run.

“It was such a great experience for us and an amazing opportunity to take Kazakhstan to the semi-finals for the first time,” Nedovyesov, ranked 162 in the world, says.

“It was an amazing mix of feelings when we were 2-0 up after the Friday and especially for me beating Nick.

“But then there was a lot of negatives in the next two days and it was probably the toughest experience in my career.

“I just couldn’t quite make it against Lleyton.”

Nedovyesov, 28, also played at Happy Valley last year, losing to Marcos Baghdatis in a quarter-final but winning the doubles with Andrey Kuznetsov.

But the Ukrainian-born right-hander, who reached a career-high 115 in February 2014, battled shoulder injuries during the second half of last season.

He is fit again and hoping to replicate the form he showed in the Davis Cup.

“A lot happened in the second half of the year and I was injured and struggling and did not play well.

“I didn’t win any matches in four months and didn’t play for two months so it was a really tough season.

“I’ve had a good off-season and am physically stronger and ready to win some matches.”

Nedovyesov, the tournament’s number five seed, was set to play Czech Republic’s Jan Satral in the first round yesterday, after presstime.

Originally published as Kyrgios conqueror Aleksandr Nedovyesov in Adelaide – six months after memorable Davis Cup clash against Australia