Jason Kubler has opened up about an emotional text exchange with Nick Kyrgios following his rousing United Cup win as he encouraged the Australian team to win against Spain.
Placed outside the top 100, Kubler was called in to replace Kyrgios at the last minute and miraculously won his singles matches – against Britain’s Dan Evans, then Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Kubler revealed details of his text exchange with Kyrgios after the 29-year-old Queenslander’s rousing 6-3 4-6 6-3 win on Tuesday night.
Australian tennis player Jason Kubler (pictured) has opened up about an emotional text exchange with Nick Kyrgios following his emotional United Cup win – as Team Australia triumphed over Spain
Placed outside the top 100, Kubler was called in to replace Kyrgios at the last minute and miraculously won his singles matches – against Britain’s Dan Evans and Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
‘I actually messaged him after my match against Evo (Evans),’ said Kubler.
‘I messaged him, ‘Thank you so much for the opportunity’. Basically (saying), ‘I hope your body recovers, and we can have a hit before the Australian Open.
That’s what I see. He can play, and he can do incredibly well, like I know we all think he can.
‘Luckily, he gave me a chance to play, and I grabbed it with both hands and ran with it.’
Elsewhere, Samantha Stosur held her nerve amid intense thunder and lightning to help seal Australia’s historic first United Cup victory.
Jason Kubler messaged Nick Kyrgios (pictured) to thank him for the opportunity to play
Stosur teamed up with fellow veteran John Peers to beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and David Vega Hernandez 6-2 6-3 in the deciding mixed doubles rubber to give Australia a 3-2 comeback victory over Spain on Tuesday night.
At one point early in the second set, it looked like the winner-takes-all rubber would be suspended after a series of lightning strikes in the surrounding suburbs threatened the Ken Rosewall Arena roof.
The players, including mother-of-two Stosur who has children on site, trembled in fear as the crackle of thunder erupted seemingly around them.
Eager to spend as little time on court as possible, Stosur – Australia’s acting co-captain – and Peers wrapped up the victory within an hour.
Kubler is pictured celebrating with Australian team captain Lleyton Hewitt
‘It was a little bit nerve-wracking, I’m not going to lie,’ Stosur said.
Earlier, Kubler’s heroics against Ramos-Vinolas sent the tie to a decisive mixed rubber.
Kubler’s win over higher-ranked Albert Ramos-Vinolas made it 2-2 after rising star Olivia Gadecki defeated 193rd-ranked Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-2 in a poor Cup debut.
The dead-rubber tie was square at one match each after Alex de Minaur upset Rafael Nadal on Monday night, before Maddison Inglis lost to Nuria Parrizas Diaz.
Sam Stosur teamed up with fellow veteran John Peers to beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and David Vega Hernandez 6-2 6-3 in the deciding mixed doubles rubber to give Australia a 3-2 comeback victory over Spain on Tuesday night
A late call-up to replace the injured Zoe Hives, Gadecki made her first appearance in the green and gold since her Billie Jean King Cup double debut in November 2021.
The former teenage prodigy was on her way to stardom before controversially sitting out the final summer in Australia – including the 2022 Australian Open – after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Former coach of David Taylor, respected ex-mentor of Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Martina Hingis and Naomi Osaka, Gadecki quickly rose through the ranks to a career-high No.156 in July last year.
Australia’s Sam Stosur and John Peers are pictured during their historic win over Spain
Ash Barty has also taken Gadecki under his wing and will be courtside for his AO main-draw debut at Melbourne Park, after the 20-year-old was handed a wildcard entry from Tennis Australia.
While Gadecki slipped out of the women’s top 200, Kubler is set to climb to a career-high ranking of around 80 next Monday following her two wins in Sydney.
‘I feel crazy on the court,’ Kubler said.
‘I’m from Brisbane so I thought Sydney wasn’t the place (I’d get support). It’s incredible. I can’t think of anything like this.’
Samantha Stosur, Jason Kubler, Maddison Inglis, Alex De Minaur, Ajla Tomljanovic, John Peers and Zoe Hives of Team Australia are pictured
The 29-year-old’s new status is no less than he deserves, after being the last Australian player standing at the French Open and then reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon in July.
But he was cruelly denied a swag of ranking points after the ATP opted against awarding them at Wimbledon in protest at the All England Club’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
‘Honestly, I’m just grateful to represent Australia again,’ Kubler said.
‘Last year I was lucky enough to play the Davis Cup. I just jumped at the chance to play for Australia with these guys.
‘We are close friends and I want to go to war with them.’
