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2d ago

Australia Names Hijikata for Davis Cup Tie With Belgium in Sydney as Hewitt Appeals Ban

The home tie marks a rare return for the team on Australian soil, with the winner progressing toward November’s Finals in Bologna.

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Overview

  • Australia hosts Belgium at Ken Rosewall Arena on 13–14 September in the Davis Cup Qualifiers 2nd Round.
  • Aaron-listed changes include Rinky Hijikata set for his debut as Australia’s 117th representative, while Alexei Popyrin (back) and Matt Ebden (elbow) are out injured and replaced by Aleksandar Vukic and John Peers.
  • Lleyton Hewitt has been fined A$30,000 and handed a two-week suspension over an alleged incident; he is appealing and remains eligible to captain this tie, and he has publicly criticized the event’s centralized format.
  • Alex de Minaur leads an experienced squad, entering his 24th tie, as Australia looks to build on recent deep runs including runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023 and a semifinal in 2024.
  • The seven winners from this round will join defending champion Italy at the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna from 18–23 November, with coverage in Australia on the Nine Network and beIN Sports and qualifiers available in the UK via Tennis Channel.