Davis Cup: Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics levels tie against Australia with three-set victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis

Alex de Minaur didn’t have it all his own way but did enough to give Australia a strong start to its Davis Cup qualifier against Hungary

Australia's Alex De Minaur won the opening singles match over Hungary’s Zsombor Piros. Picture: AFP

Australia must win two of the remaining three matches against Hungary to qualify for the Davis Cup finals, after splitting the opening singles contests in Sydney on Friday night.

Alex de Minaur gave Australia a 1-0 lead but Thanasi Kokkinakis lost a 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 6-3 thriller to 35th-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in his first Davis Cup match in six-plus years.

The visitors arrived as the clear underdogs but proved on day one of the tie that they were up for the fight.

Kokkinakis will rue not capitalising on a slew of opening-set opportunities – including a forehand miss at five-all, 0-30 on Fucsovics’ serve – but could still have a big role to play on Saturday.

The seasoned Fucsovics, as he did in his only other clash with the Aussie in Miami last year, came up big in the deciding set.

Thanasi Kokkinakis’ went down in three sets in his Davis Cup return. Picture: Getty Images

He never trailed once he punched a forehand through Kokkinakis’ defences in the second game, after taking an extended break at the end of the second set.

Kokkinakis called a medical time-out at 0-3 to have his left leg assessed, then found himself back in the match when Fucsovics committed a series of errors to hand the break back.

But almost as soon as the Australian had hope again, he relinquished it.

Kokkinakis crashed a backhand into the net to drop serve and fall 2-4 behind and this time could not reel in Fucsovics, who served out the match to level the tie.

The Hungarian ironman is scheduled to play the doubles alongside countryman Fabian Marozsan in the first match on Saturday before backing up against de Minaur in a clash of No.1s.

Marton Fucsovics is the key to Hungary’s hopes of upsetting Australia. Picture: Getty Images

de Minaur needed a final-set tie-breaker to outlast Fucsovics in their sole meeting at the Davis Cup finals last November.

“Before the tie started, that’s the match a lot of people were waiting for,” de Minaur said.

“It’s great. We had a battle last Davis Cup and now we get to do it again. We go out there; we’re both playing for pride and passion and our countries ... let the best man win.”

John Peers and Luke Saville are set to represent Australia in the doubles, while the fifth and potentially deciding rubber would be between Kokkinakis and 240th-ranked Zsombor Piros.

Earlier, de Minaur was a strong favourite against Piros, given more than 200 ranking spots and $6 million prizemoney separated the pair on paper.

Australia’s Alex de Minaur will face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in a much-anticipated clash between each country’s No.1 men’s player. Picture: Getty Images

The Australian camp believed Piros would be a tricky opponent after he upset John Millman and Marin Cilic at last year’s Davis Cup finals.

The in-form de Minaur had to dig deep several times before emerging a 7-5 6-2 winner in a contest that was far tighter than the scoreboard suggests.

“It’s never easy playing for your country. You’re always a lot more nervous coming in,” de Minaur said.

“But I can’t tell you how good it feels to play in front of a home crowd in my home (city). I’m very happy I was able to get the first win.”

Play resumes at 1pm AEDT on Saturday.

‘Nervous’ de Minaur gives Aussies first blood

A nerve-riddled Alex de Minaur has delivered Australia the perfect start to its Davis Cup qualifier against Hungary – but not before surviving some tense moments.

The top-ranked Aussie was a strong favourite against Hungary’s Zsombor Piros, given more than 200 ranking spots and $6 million prizemoney separated the pair on paper.

But the in-form de Minaur had to dig deep several times in Sydney on Friday night to emerge a 7-5 6-2 winner in a contest that was far tighter than the scoreboard suggests.

It’s his sixth victory from 10 singles matches in the Davis Cup.

Thanasi Kokkinakis will try to land an even bigger blow for Australia when he takes on Hungary’s best player, world No.35 Marton Fucsovics, in the night’s other singles match.

“It’s never easy playing for your country. You’re always a lot more nervous coming in,” de Minaur said.

Alex de Minaur gave Australia a 1-0 lead in its Davis Cup qualifier against Hungary. Picture: Getty Images

“But I can’t tell you how good it feels to play in front of a home crowd in my home (city).

“I’m very happy I was able to get the first win and now let’s all cheer really hard for Thanasi. He’s got a tough one and let’s get him over the line.”

The Australian camp believed 240th-ranked Piros would be a tricky opponent after he upset John Millman and Marin Cilic at last year’s Davis Cup finals.

Those suspicions were right, with de Minaur’s greater experience on the biggest stages ultimately the difference.

Piros absorbed enormous pressure in his opening two service games, including staving off three break points in the second of them, to find a foothold in the contest.

Zsombor Piros tested Alex de Minaur before going down in straight sets. Picture: Getty Images

The 22-year-old even began threatening de Minaur’s service games, but he imploded with a tie-break in sight, committing three consecutive errors before double-faulting to go a set down.

Any thoughts de Minaur may have had about Piros’ spirit being broken were quickly answered.

The hometown hero had to save two break points at one-all – and kept his cool after the chair umpire didn’t call a let when his hat came off at another stage – in what proved a significant moment.

The finish line came quickly from there.

Piros conceded the all-important break in the next game, narrowly missing a high backhand volley, and de Minaur showed no mercy as he completed a straight-sets victory.