Australia’s Davis Cup hopes dented as De Minaur withdraws from group stage

MELBOURNE: Australia’s quest to end a 21-year Davis Cup title drought has hit a major setback, with star player Alex de Minaur ruled out of the group stage due to ongoing hip issues. The 24-year-old, ranked 11th in the world, was forced to withdraw after his recent U.S. Open campaign, where he reached the quarter-finals but struggled with his hip injury, ultimately losing to Britain’s Jack Draper in straight sets.

Australia’s Davis Cup captain, Lleyton Hewitt, confirmed de Minaur’s absence ahead of their opening match against France in Valencia. Hewitt acknowledged the significant contribution de Minaur has made to Australia’s Davis Cup efforts in recent years, but emphasized that the decision to rest him was necessary.

“Alex has done some incredible stuff in Davis Cup over the last three or four years now,” Hewitt said. “But he’s been battling since Wimbledon and he hasn’t really been close to 100%. He was desperate to play, but in the end, it really wasn’t much of a choice.”

Australia finds itself in a challenging group, also featuring the Czech Republic and Spain. Despite de Minaur’s absence, Hewitt expressed confidence in his team’s ability to progress, noting the strong form of his players at the U.S. Open.