Australia handed the defending champion US a 2-1 loss on Monday at the United Cup to stay in the chase for a quarter-final place at the 18-nation mixed event.
Experienced veteran Matt Ebden and colourfully named teammate Storm Hunter produced a 6-3, 6-1 result over American Jessica Pegula and Rajeev Ram to ice the tie.
The hosts remain in contention to join Poland in last-eight play on Wednesday in Perth and Sydney.
The Poles, led by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, defeated Spain 2-1 to book the first of the quarter-final spots.
Had Germany won it’s tie against France, the country would have advanced alongside the Poles; But a 2-1 loss to the French left another opening available.
Australian Alex de Minaur got the ball rolling for the home side, nullifying the big serve of American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2.
The 12th-ranked winner needed four match points and 90 minutes: “Today was a little bit of “new year, new me,” he said. “I was in a great headspace, things worked out well.
“I played the type of tennis I wanted to play, I’m happy with that. He has explosive firepower and I could not let him dictate play.”
Teammate Ajla Tomljanovic was unable to get past world No. 5 Pegula, with the American levelling the tie after a tight 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory.
The dumbfounded mixed doubles winners apparently went into their deciding rubber not going the country’s chances of continuing in the competition rested on a win
“We were playing for our lives,” Ebden said. “We just knew we had to to everything possible, every point, every game:”
Added Hunter, whose husband drove the 3,500 kilometres form their home in Melbourne to the Western Australia capital in five days nearly nonstop:
“I knew we needed to win as many games as possible.”
