He won just 62 percent of his first serve points while being broken four times, including twice in the final set, as Thompson gave Australia the early advantage with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory. "I've been putting my head down and I returned really well".
"He played a good match - he deserved to win", a disappointed Sock said.
"I've been looking forward to this tie for a long time now". The prize for victory in Brisbane is a semi-final against Belgium or Italy.
"I kind of haven't gone onto a court without a bit of expectation, so I'm used to it".
Jim Courier has tipped Nick Kyrgios to become one of the world's top five players by the end of the year if he continues at his current trajectory. The British player, drafted into the singles line-up after the injury-enforced withdrawal of world number one Andy Murray, was made to pay for letting slip a 5/2 lead in the second-set tiebreak.
But Italy had demonstrated the fighting spirit which saw it knock out defending champions Argentina in the first round to stay alive in its quarterfinal on Saturday with a thrilling doubles win.
"But with Lleyton on the side telling me to compete for every point, and obviously the crowd, it's easy to get up out here". "I'm trying to get better every day and it's a massive difference".
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If the Raiders succeed in adding Lynch, they will surely be one of the favorites to win it all in the 2017 season. A few weeks back, there were reports that he plans to only play for Oakland if he makes a comeback to the NFL.
"When I was in the States playing, always kind of knew I had this big preparation to come here and play two big matches".
Nick Kyrgios sent Australia into the Davis Cup semi-finals when he beat American Sam Querrey in the first of the reverse singles in Brisbane today.
"We have a good shot (of winning this year)".
The Americans hit back in the doubles on Saturday with Sock and Steve Johnson downing Groth and John Peers in five sets.
HONOURS EVEN IN NEW ZEALAND-SOUTH KOREA DAVIS CUP TIE: There were mixed fortunes for South Korea's young guns as they finished the opening day of a Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie level at 1-1 against hosts New Zealand.
Kyrgios is due to face Sock in Sunday's opening reverse singles rubber, although Hewitt is anticipating another curve ball from the United States after the world number 15 was a late replacement for Sam Querrey in the doubles.
Thompson said he could see Sock starting to fade and was deeply satisfied to serve out the rubber and save it from entering a fifth and final set.
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