Lleyton Hewitt says he's proud of his "banged-up" but brave Australia team for battling through a "ridiculous" schedule to reach another Davis Cup finals week.
Captain Hewitt, long an outspoken critic of the revamped Cup, launched another attack on the format in Valencia on Sunday after his side ended their otherwise successful qualifying campaign with a 2-1 defeat to hosts Spain.
The result was largely academic with both teams having already booked their date for the eight-team finals in Malaga in November but Hewitt took time to laud his ailing players for racing from the US Open 6000km away to compete for their country so soon afterwards.
As it was revealed how US Open men's doubles winner Max Purcell had had to play through an injury in Valencia, Hewitt said: "We've had a few guys this week pretty banged up - and it's only really our locker room knows that.
"It would have been very easy for a few of my boys to not turn up this week, but they've come and they put on the green and gold, and done absolutely everything I've asked of them. I'm super proud."
Purcell played in the doubles in Tuesday's opener against France less than three days after winning at Flushing Meadows, but was struggling in Sunday's deciding rubber alongside Matt Ebden as the former Wimbledon champs went down to a shock defeat.
"To try and ask players to play the second day after a grand slam finishes, it's not easy," said Hewitt.
"In the old (weekend only) format, I used to have to do it, but you'd at least have until the Friday before you had to play. Now to play on Tuesday, it's ridiculous."
Hewitt also couldn't see any sense in the week-long, four-team group stage ending with two already-qualified teams playing what, to all intents and purposes, was a dead rubber.
"That's the stupid part of this format, isn't it? You know, I can keep saying it," shrugged Hewitt.
"But the format is what it is, and we'll do what we need to do to get through and give ourselves a chance of hopefully holding up the trophy."
A full house at the Pabellon Fuente de San Luis still revelled in the home win, but many fans will have doubtless been dismayed that star attraction Carlos Alcaraz was rested.
Spanish team captain David Ferrer also didn't choose his other singles ace Roberto Bautista Agut in what was effectively a second-string team.
Ebden and Purcell ended up losing 5-7 6-4 6-4 to the makeshift partnership of world No.1 Marcel Granollers and occasional doubles player Pedro Martinez.
The Spanish crowd loved it but Ebden was left a bit cold, admitting: "The format's kind of weird. We've qualified two days ago with Spain, and then we play a dead tie.
"It's a different feel, I'm not gonna lie. Of course, I tried to win - it's not an excuse that we lost - but it's a weird feeling."
And his partner was far from his sharpest. "Max has obviously been carrying some injuries for the whole week," said Ebden.
"So he did amazing to win the US Open and then come here and help us get the team qualified for Malaga - and that was the only goal."
That goal was achieved even without Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, who Hewitt hopes will be fit for Malaga after his recent hip injury struggles.
But Australia's near-perfect week did fall away on the final day.
First up, world No.29 Jordan Thompson - Purcell's partner for the Flushing Meadows title win - succumbed 6-2 2-6 6-7 (3-7) to veteran substitute, No.207 Pablo Carreno Busta, after the Sydneysider had served for the match in the third.
"It was incredibly frustrating, especially when you're doing it for Australia. I feel like I definitely let it get away," said Thompson.
At least stand-in No.1 Alexei Popyrin delivered, levelling the tie with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Martinez, before the Spaniard went on to become the unlikely doubles hero.
