Aleksandar Vukic was a sales of completing one of the biggest comebacks in Australia in the history of Davis Cup, before Belgium claimed a 3-2 victory in Sydney.
Sydney, Australia, September 14, 2025 | MONKEY
The tennis fighters of Australia have suffered the heartache of Davis Cup and only fall off to complete one of the biggest comebacks in the 125-year history of the competition.
A day after the overcoming serious cramp to defy Alex de Minauraur, the world no. 91 Raphael Collignon dominated over Aleksandar Vukic 6-7 (5) 6-2 6-3 in the decisive rubber to lead Belgium to a pulsating 3-2 qualifying 2nd round triumph in Sydney.
It followed on an exciting day in Ken Rosewall Arena in which Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson claimed a comeback with 6-7 (7) 6-3 6-4 victory over Sander Gille and Joran Vlieken in the double, before the Minaur came back with a straight set of Belgian no. 1 Zizou.
All in all, Tennis Ironman Collignon brought almost five and a half hours back on the field to break Australian hearts after the Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt was also seen in crushing 3-2 losses for the small European nation in 2007, 2010 and 2017.
“It was a tough game, hard to get a loss for the team and for the country. But the honor to him, he played a great game,” said Vukic. “I am a bit lost for words in terms of just leaving it all, giving it my best. I just wasn’t good enough tonight.”
Vukic took the opening set of Collignon; However, in the form of his career after beating two top-15 players in the room of three weeks, the Belgian could not be denied.
While Belgium is progressing 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 strived to become a member of Harry Hopman’s legendary outfit from 1939-with John Bromwich, Adrian Quist and Jack Crawford who defeated the US in the final-as one of only three Australian teams who revised a 2-0 defect.
Hewitt played in the only other team to achieve the performance and won the decisive rubber against Kazakhstan in Darwin to manage his Australian teammates Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Sam Groth to the semi -final of 2015.
Hewitt, however, said that he could no longer have asked for his side.
“I am just proud of the entire team and the efforts they made,” he said. “It is always a long season, and to come back immediately after the US Open, and immediately train in the team camp and to do everything the coaching staff has asked of them.
“Yesterday [Saturday] Did not go on our way, but they still kept their heads high and came out and had a real tear today, and then we could almost get it done. “
Australia will participate in the Davis Cup qualifying rounds in 2026 and must win two games to reach the last 8.
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