Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt will lead Australia in their first home tie since March 2022 when they face Belgium in Sydney on 13-14 September.
Sydney, Australia, 10 September 2025 | Jackson Mansell
The Culture Amp Australian Davis Cup team has travelled the long road over the last three and a half years. Not since March 2022 has Australia contested a tie on home soil.
This weekend, Australia’s Davis Cup team returns home to play in front of a sold-out crowd at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney and Captain Lleyton Hewitt could not be more thrilled about their homecoming.
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“It’s great to be back,” he said. “We’ve missed out on playing Davis Cup matches at home, so to get back here … after a pretty hectic year for a lot of our boys is fantastic, and hopefully we can work towards getting the job done [against Belgium].”
Since prevailing against Hungary in their most recent home encounter, Australia has won 12 of 18 ties. During that span, they finished runners-up twice (2022 and 2023) and reached the semifinals in 2024.
Hewitt believes the secret behind Australia’s recent form comes down to the team camaraderie fostered by world No.8 Alex de Minaur.
“I think it comes back to the team culture that we’ve been able to build as well and the standards that we try to set as coaches,” he said. “Alex is sort of our playing leader as well, sets out there on the practice court, on the match court. The way that he’s able to help gel the team together on the weeks on the road, it’s not easy.
“It’s a very individual sport, tennis, most of the time out there, but these guys hit together all the time, and obviously, I’m not out there travelling with these guys all the time, so it’s important they stick together as a tight-knit group.
“That’s been one of the biggest focuses. We’ve come together, and I think we’ve punched above our weight division the last few years. We’ve come awfully close, and obviously, the big goal is to hopefully win the trophy, and that’s what we’re trying to do this year.”
Competing in his 24th tie this weekend, De Minaur joins Mark Woodforde in equal fourth for most ties played for Australia. The 26-year-old has played under Hewitt for his entire Davis Cup career, crediting the former world No.1 for his off-court leadership.
“It’s been amazing to be a part of this group. From the very first tie as an Orange Boy, I understood what it meant to be a part of the Davis Cup team and how special it is to wear the green and gold and how much pride you get representing your country,” De Minaur said. “It’s been amazing to see the passion that he shows every single time that we put on the green and gold.
“As players, it’s the type of captain we want to be playing for and we want to do well for. So, it’s been amazing, and hopefully we can get the job done.”
Australian Wallabies captain Harry Wilson and winger Corey Toole – who was a former state-grade tennis player – took on Hewitt and De Minaur in a light-hearted hit of doubles to promote their international showdowns this weekend in Sydney against Argentina and Belgium, respectively.
“The people that actually get to wear the green and gold and put it on for their country know the pressures and demands and expectations that come with wearing that,” Hewitt said.
“To see the passion and the pride that comes with wearing the green and gold [which the Wallabies possess] is something that we try and instil in our boys, and you see them every time they go out there, leaving it out on the field.”
You can watch the Davis Cup 2025 2nd Qualifier between Australia and Belgium on 13-14 September on the Nine Network and beIN Sports.
Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to hit the court and have some fun!
