Lleyton Hewitt is making waves in the Davis Cup with his strategic decisions. His choices have not only helped Australia advance but have also sparked intense discussions among fans and critics.

Hewitt's Genius Shifts the Davis Cup Dynamics

Opening Singles Rubbers: The Kokkinakis Call

On Thursday night, Hewitt demonstrated his genius once again. Despite having higher-ranked players available, he chose Thanasi Kokkinakis for the opening singles rubber against Ben Shelton. This decision paid off spectacularly as Kokkinakis took down the World No.22 Shelton in a stunning 6-1 4-6 7-6 (16-14) upset. Kokkinakis saved four match-points in an epic tie-breaker and celebrated wildly with Hewitt on the sidelines.This showed Hewitt's faith in Kokkinakis, who has been delivering at the Davis Cup level. Even though Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson seemed like better options on paper, Hewitt's trust in Kokkinakis proved to be correct.

Doubles Strategy: The Bryan Gamble

The match took a dramatic turn when US captain Bob Bryan made the staggering call to ditch doubles specialists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram. They had won silver at the Paris Olympics earlier this year and had a wealth of experience. Instead, Bryan went with Shelton and Tommy Paul. This gamble backfired brutally as they lost 6-4 6-4 to Thompson and Matt Ebden.Hewitt showed his genius once again by bringing in Thompson, who combined well with Purcell in previous Davis Cup ties. Thompson repaid Hewitt's faith as the Aussies sealed a 2-1 victory and advanced to the semi-finals for the third time in three years.

Doubles Specialists and the Costly Mistake

American fans were left furious over the decision. They described it as "embarrassing" and "disrespectful" to Ram and Krajicek. Many pointed out that it was a stupid decision not to play the doubles specialists, especially when they had just won a silver medal together.Hewitt countered by saying that they weren't surprised by the move. He had seen them do drills during the week and knew they were capable players. Ebden added that they were ready for any opponent.

Kokkinakis' Repayment and the Future

Kokkinakis had barely played in the last few months outside of a Challenger Tour title at the NSW Open. But he showed his determination and skill on the court. Hewitt had faith in him despite his low ranking and it paid off.Kokkinakis said he was pumped up and wanted to win for his team. Hewitt laughed and said he had put Kokkinakis on ice until now and let him off the leash today, and he fully repaid them.

The Road to the Semi-finals

Australia will now face Italy in the semi-finals on Saturday (Sunday Aussie time). The Italians beat Argentina 2-1 in the last quarter-final with Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini getting the job done in the deciding doubles rubber.Francisco Cerundolo gave Argentina a 1-0 lead, but Sinner got Italy back level. This means Australia will get a chance to seek revenge after losing to Italy in last year's Davis Cup final.It will be a tricky task, especially for Alex de Minaur who has a 0-8 career record against World No.1 Sinner. But the Aussies are determined to make a mark in the semi-finals.Australia have finished runners-up for the last two years and haven't won the prestigious Davis Cup trophy since 2003, despite winning it 28 times throughout history. They will be looking to change that in the semi-finals.