Lleyton Hewitt was the former world No.1, 2001 US Open champ and 2002 Wimbledon winner playing on home soil at Melbourne Park.
Roger Federer had won his maiden major title at Wimbledon just a couple of months earlier and was up to number three in the world rankings.
Hewitt had given Australia the early lead on the Friday only for Federer to extend his singles winning streak in the teams event to 10 when he again beat Mark Philippoussis, as he had done in the All England Club decider.
But the hosts had their noses in front 2-1 going into the reverse singles courtesy of Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge's five-set win on the Saturday in the doubles.
There could be no doubting Hewitt's desire to perform for his country or his cocky self-belief, having offered Yevgeny Kafelnikov $50 four years earlier in the corresponding round despite thrashing the Russian who had promised to teach him a tennis 'lesson' before the clash.
But not even the most optimistic of supporters thought Hewitt had much hope when, already trailing by two sets, he found himself down a break in the third set after Federer had crunched yet another forehand winner.
Federer served for the contest in the ninth game and was within two points of victory but the scrapper in Hewitt refused to go away quietly and he simply willed himself to break back.
With John Fitzgerald cheering on every point from the sidelines and his then fiancee Kim Clijsters doing likewise from the stands, Hewitt overcame further pressure on his serve in the 10th game to draw level and took the set in the tie-breaker.
Federer's high level certainly didn't drop in the fourth set but with the momentum on his side Hewitt bullied his way to a break in the sixth game that would see him lead 5-2.
There was another twist as Federer did to Hewitt what he had done to the Swiss maestro in the third set, breaking him as he served for the set in the ninth game and then levelling at 5-5.
But after Hewitt held serve a Federer double fault at deuce opened the door before he attempted to capitalise on Hewitt having hit his return off the back foot with a drop shot.
Hewitt just reached the ball but when he tried to go up the line with his backhand Federer was waiting and pounced with a forehand he thumped at the Australian.
Somehow Hewitt threw his racquet at the ball with a backhand and fell to the court, leaving Federer to watch helplessly, stranded at the net, as the gentle lob landed inside the baseline to send the contest into a deciding fifth set.
From there only one winner looked likely as Hewitt steamrolled Federer in just 22 minutes in the final set, sealing a 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 6-1 victory in a little over three hours.
"This beats the hell out of winning Wimbledon or the US Open," Hewitt said after his epic comeback.
Not only did the result take Australia into the Davis Cup final but just under three months later Hewitt recovered from two-sets-to-one down to beat Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the opening rubber before Arthurs and Woodbridge put Australia 2-1 ahead after the doubles.
That left Philippoussis to atone for his loss to Carlos Moya in the second rubber by crushing Ferrero 6-0 in the deciding fifth set, giving Hewitt a rare day off with the fifth rubber not required.
Federer may have suffered defeat on the day but since then he has won 16 more Grand Slam titles and he would win his next 15 meetings against Hewitt, including a year later at the US Open when he triumphed 6-0 7-6 (7-1) 6-0.
Love him or loathe him - and there have been plenty in both camps - Hewitt has provided his share of highlights through the years to give us journos a lot to write about, and his passion for representing his country could certainly never be questioned.