Australia salute cup 'hero' Philippoussis

Mark Philippoussis reserved the finest performance of his life for the biggest stage and unleashed it on Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero to secure for Australia the 2003 Davis Cup in five sets of high drama here yesterday.

The Australian team captain, John Fitzgerald, hailed the 27-year-old as a "national hero" after he battled through the pain barrier and drew on immense reserves of courage to win an incredible match.

"Today's win was definitely the most important win of my tennis career, without a doubt," Philippoussis said. It was an astonishing victory, as the final 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0 scoreline suggested, and the culmination of 15 months of work and dedication for the Australian team after three disappointing seasons.

Australia lost the 2000 Davis Cup final to Spain, and the following year's at home to France before Argentina dumped them out in the first round last season.

"They are a special group of players. They are four magnificent tennis players and when they come together as a team to commit to a common goal I think special things happen," Fitzgerald said.

When Ferrero had taken advantage of Philippoussis' injured shoulder and rallied from two sets down to force a deciding set, the entire Australian team had already given up hope. Lleyton Hewitt was warming up in the changing-rooms ready for what he expected to be a match with Carlos Moya to decide the final.

From looking a weary, beaten man, the Spaniard was dictating the match having run through the second and third sets conceding three games. The rubber was level, Ferrero had the momentum and Philippoussis, in pain, felt the game slipping away. To try to break Ferrero's stride, Philippoussis took a bathroom break before returning for treatment on his shoulder.

"There was no way I was going to pull out. I just kept telling myself, 'Take one point at a time'. That's all I could do," Philippoussis said. "I mean, this is Davis Cup. You leave your heart out there. That's what I said to myself.

"I went to the bathroom and the guys were saying: 'One more set, one more set'. I was just thinking, 'I don't care how bad your pec [pectoral muscle] is, just put everything into this last set,'" he added.

Philippoussis then played "virtually faultless tennis", as the Australia coach, Wally Masur described it, to break Ferrero three times and take the final set.

"I don't know what happened in the fifth," Philippoussis said. "I just thought: 'Give the serve everything'. Then, when returning, I thought: 'Just chip and come in for everything'. He lost his rhythm."

Philippoussis had been the hero of Australia's last Davis Cup win in 1999, but felt yesterday's achievements surpassed even that.

"It's been a long year and this was our goal," Philippoussis said. "Every tie we play together the combinations just get better and better. Look at my back-up. I had Lleyton coming behind me, how could I lose?"

DAVIS CUP Final (Melbourne): Australia bt Spain 3-1 (Aus names first): Friday's singles: L Hewitt bt J C Ferrero 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-6 6-2; M Philippoussis lost to C Moya 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-6. Saturday's doubles: T Woodbridge and W Arthurs bt F Lopez and A Corretja 6-3 6-1 6-3. Yesterday's reverse singles: Philippoussis bt Ferrero 7-5 6-3 1-6 2-6 6-0; Hewitt v Moya (not played).