Despite the efforts to put a stop to its pulse, the Davis Cup's heart is still thumping.
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Robbed of its best-of-five set and extensive home-and-away fixture identity late in 2018, things looked grim for one of tennis' most prestigious titles with several other teams competitions on the horizon.
But don't tell an Australian sporting crowd that.
Roaring to life as John Millman scurried for his life at 5-4 down in the second set against Brazil, the 30-year-old battler added another chapter to his country's story, breaking Thiago Seyboth Wild's serve before equaling the match, national pride was certainly on show.
I am equally proud to say that I was one of the crazed Australian fans in attendance and although I missed final set to fly home for cricket the next morning (why do I do it?), I can without a doubt say it was one of the best experiences I've had.
Sitting in the VIP hospitality box thanks to winning a giveaway by the competition's fresh sponsors Rakuten (nearly winning me over after the drastic changes) certainly didn't harm the experience but as a sports nut who has indulged in events like the Boxing Day Test and Anzac Day clash, the praise is certainly there.
Admittedly, it may be the recency of the event or the superb acoustics of the freshly redeveloped Ken Rosewall Arena clouding my judgement but the call still stands, that reaction was loud.
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Unfortunately now I can only imagine how big that final reaction was, but enough of wallowing in my self pity, it's time for the Aussies to take the next step - having now qualified for the Davis Cup finals in Madrid in November following dual Millman wins and Jordan Thompson getting off to a strong start.
Held in the Spanish city last year for the first time in the new format, the title was won by the home country, with the Alex De Minaur and Nick Kyrgios-led Australians falling in the quarter-finals to Canada.
With the top-tiered duo absent from Adelaide's tie thanks to injury, Australian tennis is in good hands, creating a selection dilemma for the country's captain in Lleyton Hewitt, who has helped forge a victorious culture through the event's history.
Thanks to this, his players (despite the common misconception regarding Mr Kyrgios) want to don the green and gold and put their bodies on the line with Millman describing representation as "the pinnacle of our sport."
"It's a different type of pressure when you're playing for your country but it's one that I really enjoy. It doesn't come around too often, so I try to make the most of it when it happens," he told Tennis Australia media before the tie.
It's no wonder the event's qualifying stages, played on home turf, attract strong crowds, as at its core, the Davis Cup pits two countries against each other and Australia regularly emerge victorious.
If only someone had thought of this before?
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