Aleksandar Vukic was one set away from completing one of Australia’s greatest comebacks in Davis Cup history, before Belgium claimed a 3-2 win in Sydney.
Sydney, Australia, 14 September 2025 | AAP
Australia’s tennis warriors have suffered Davis Cup heartbreak, falling just a set short of completing one of the greatest comebacks in the competition’s 125-year history.
A day after overcoming severe cramping to defy Alex de Minaur, world No.91 Raphael Collignon prevailed over Aleksandar Vukic 6-7(5) 6-2 6-3 in the deciding rubber to lead Belgium to a pulsating 3-2 Qualifying 2nd Round triumph in Sydney.
It followed a suspense-filled day at Ken Rosewall Arena in which Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson claimed a comeback 6-7(7) 6-3 6-4 win over Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the doubles, before De Minaur bounced back with a straight-sets victory over Belgian No.1 Zizou Bergs.
All up, tennis ironman Collignon spent almost five-and-a-half hours on court to break Australian hearts once more, after Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt also featured in crushing 3-2 losses to the small European nation in 2007, 2010 and 2017.
“It was a tough match, tough to get a loss for the team and for the country. But credit to him, he played a great match,” Vukic said. “I’m kind of lost for words in terms of just leaving it all out there, giving it my best. I just wasn’t good enough tonight.”
Vukic took the opening set from Collignon; however, in the form of his career after defeating two top-15 players in the space of three weeks, the Belgian could not be denied.
While Belgium progresses to the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna in November, Australia will be missing for the first time since 2021.
Hewitt’s class of 2025 were striving to join Harry Hopman’s legendary 1939 outfit – featuring John Bromwich, Adrian Quist and Jack Crawford that beat the USA in the final – as one of only three Australian teams to overhaul a 2-0 deficit.
Hewitt starred in the only other team to achieve the feat, winning the deciding rubber against Kazakhstan in Darwin to pilot his Australian teammates Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Sam Groth to the 2015 semifinals.
Hewitt, though, said he could not have asked for more from his side.
“I’m just proud of the whole team and the effort they put in,” he said. “It’s always a long season, and to come straight back after the US Open, and get straight into training in the team camp and do everything that the coaching staff have asked of them.
“Yesterday [Saturday] didn’t go our way, but they still held their heads high and came out and had a real crack today, and then we nearly were able to pull it off.”
Australia will compete in the Davis Cup Qualifying rounds in 2026, needing to win two matches to reach the Final 8.
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