Australia Davis Cup team facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australia |
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| Association | Tennis Australia |
| Captain | Lleyton Hewitt |
| Coach | Josh Eagle |
| ITF ranking | 2  (2 February 2023) |
| Colors | Green & Gold |
| First year | 1923 (1905 as Australasia) |
| Years played | 102 |
| Ties played (W–L) | 266 (193–73) |
| Years in World Group |
34 (56–29) |
| Davis Cup titles | 28 (1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1919, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1999, 2003) |
| Runners-up | 21 (1912, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2022, 2023) |
| Most total wins | Lleyton Hewitt (59–21) |
| Most singles wins | Lleyton Hewitt (42–14) |
| Most doubles wins | Todd Woodbridge (25–7) |
| Best doubles team | Mark Woodforde / Todd Woodbridge (14–2) |
| Most ties played | Lleyton Hewitt (43) |
| Most years played | Lleyton Hewitt (19) |
| Last updated on: 6 September 2022. | |
The Australia Davis Cup team is one of the most successful tennis teams in the world! They compete in the Davis Cup, which is like the World Cup for men's tennis. Australia has won this amazing title 28 times. Only the United States has won it more often, with 32 titles.
Before 1923, Australia also played as part of the Australasia team with New Zealand. Together, they won the Davis Cup six more times between 1905 and 1922.
Contents
History of Australian Tennis Success
Australia has a long and proud history in the Davis Cup. Let's explore their journey through the years!
Early Years as Australasia: 1905–1922
For the first few decades of the 1900s, Australian tennis players teamed up with New Zealand players. They played together as the Australasia team. Even though New Zealand players could join, only Anthony Wilding from New Zealand actually played for the team.
During this time, the Australasia team was very strong. They won the Davis Cup six times: in 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, and 1919.
In 1920, Australasia lost to the United States Davis Cup team in the final. They reached the final again in 1921 and 1922, but lost to the United States both times. After 1922, Australia and New Zealand started competing as separate countries.
Australia on Its Own: 1923–1937
When Australia first competed as its own team in 1923, they immediately reached the final! However, they lost to the United States. The next year, they again made it to the final, but lost to the US once more.
The next few years were a bit tougher. Australia didn't win the cup, but they kept trying. In 1936, they reached the final again, playing against Great Britain. Great Britain won that match, playing on their home turf at Wimbledon. Even though they didn't win, these years helped set the stage for Australia's future success.
A Golden Age of Dominance
From 1937 to 1973, Australia and the United States were the only two teams to win the Davis Cup. They played against each other in the final 31 times! Australia won the title 17 times during this period.
Australia was especially dominant between 1938 and 1968. They reached the final for an amazing 25 years in a row! During this streak, they won 16 titles. They even set a record by winning four titles in a row, not just once, but three different times! This happened from 1950-1953, 1959-1962, and 1964-1967. They also won three titles in a row from 1955-1957.
The only decades Australia didn't win the Davis Cup were the 1920s, 1940s, and 2010s.
After their big win in 1973, Australia continued to add to their collection. They won five more titles: in 1977, 1983, 1986, 1999, and 2003. From 1999 to 2003, Australia reached the final four times, winning in 1999 and 2003.
The 2000s: A New Era
In 2003, Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt played an incredible match against Roger Federer from Switzerland. Hewitt came back from being two sets down to win, helping Australia reach the Davis Cup final. In that final, Australia beat Spain 3-1 in Melbourne. Mark Philippoussis, even with an injury, won his match to secure the victory!
After their 2003 win, Australia faced some tough challenges. They lost to Sweden in 2004. In 2006, they had a strong run, beating Switzerland and Belarus, but then lost to Argentina in the semifinals.
The late 2000s saw Australia trying to get back to the top. They had some good wins in qualifying rounds but struggled to advance deep into the main competition. In 2009, they even had to forfeit a match against India due to security concerns.
The 2010s: Building for the Future
The 2010s were a period of rebuilding for the Australian team. They often started strong in the Asia/Oceania playoffs, winning against teams like Chinese Taipei and Japan. However, they found it hard to get past the World Group playoffs to reach the main competition.
For example, in 2011, they played against Switzerland on grass in Sydney but lost a close match. In 2012, they beat China and South Korea, but then lost to Germany. These years were important for developing new players and preparing for future success.
Key Rivalries
Australia vs. United States
The rivalry between Australia and the United States is one of the most famous in Davis Cup history. For 36 years, these two teams dominated the competition.
They have played each other in the Davis Cup final 29 times! Australia has won 15 of these finals, while the US has won 14. Their first final match was in 1908, which Australia won. In fact, Australia won the first three finals they played against the US. Their last final meeting was in 1990, where the US won.
While this rivalry isn't as intense now, the two teams still meet. They played in 2016 and 2017, showing that their long history continues.
Recent Davis Cup Journeys
Australia has continued to be a strong contender in recent Davis Cup competitions.
2020–21 Davis Cup: Group Stage
Australia qualified for the Davis Cup Finals in 2020-21. They played well in their group but didn't make it to the knockout stages. They won 2 out of 3 matches in their group.
2022 Davis Cup: Finalist
In 2022, Australia had a fantastic run! They made it all the way to the Davis Cup final, which was their 20th time reaching this stage. They won 5 matches and lost 2 overall. They beat teams like Hungary, Belgium, and France in the group stages. In the knockout rounds, they defeated the Netherlands and Croatia before reaching the final. In the final, they played against Canada and finished as runners-up.
2023 Davis Cup: Finalist Again!
Australia continued their strong performance in 2023, reaching the Davis Cup final for the second year in a row! This was their 21st time in the final. They won 4 matches and lost 2 overall. They had a tough group stage, losing to Great Britain but then beating France and Switzerland. In the knockout rounds, they defeated the Czech Republic and Finland. In the final, they faced Italy and finished as runners-up once more.
Meet the Players and Captains
Current Squad
Here are some of the talented players who recently represented Australia in the Davis Cup:
| Player | Born | ATP ranking | Debut | Ties | Win-loss | ATP Profile |
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| Singles | Doubles | Singles | Doubles | Total | |||||
| Alexei Popyrin | 5 September 1999 | 24 | 868 | 2019 | 4 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 | |
| Jordan Thompson | 20 April 1994 | 29 | 7 | 2017 | 12 | 5–3 | 4–2 | 9–5 | |
| Matthew Ebden | 26 November 1987 | – | 5 | 2012 | 12 | 4–0 | 7–2 | 11–2 | |
| Max Purcell | 3 April 1998 | 89 | 8 | 2022 | 8 | 0–2 | 7–1 | 7–3 | |
| Thanasi Kokkinakis | 10 April 1996 | 78 | 429 | 2014 | 10 | 5–7 | – | 5–7 | |
| Non-playing captain: Lleyton Hewitt | |||||||||
Captains Who Led the Way
The captain is like the coach of the team, guiding the players. Australia has had many great captains over the years.
- Norman Brookes was one of the earliest captains, leading the Australasia team to 6 wins between 1905 and 1919.
- Harry Hopman is the most successful captain in Davis Cup history! He led Australia to an incredible 16 Davis Cup titles during his 22 years as captain (1938-1939, 1950-1969). He was a true legend!
- Neale Fraser took over after Hopman and continued the winning tradition, leading the team to 4 more titles between 1970 and 1994.
- John Newcombe led the team to a win in 1999.
- John Fitzgerald was captain when Australia won its most recent title in 2003.
- Lleyton Hewitt, a famous Australian player, is the current captain, leading the team since 2016. He has guided them to the finals in 2022 and 2023.
Amazing Records and Stats
The Australian Davis Cup team holds many impressive records!
- Most Titles Won by a Player: Roy Emerson won 8 Davis Cup titles, more than any other Australian player.
- Most Titles Won by a Captain: Harry Hopman won an incredible 16 titles as captain.
- Longest Winning Streak: Australia once won 9 ties in a row from 1959 to 1962.
- Most Consecutive Final Appearances: From 1938 to 1968, Australia reached the Davis Cup final for 25 years in a row! This is an all-time record.
- Most Rubbers Won: Lleyton Hewitt has won the most matches (called "rubbers") for Australia, with 59 wins. He also has the most singles wins (42).
- Most Doubles Wins: Todd Woodbridge holds the record for most doubles wins, with 25 victories.
See Also
- List of Australia Davis Cup team results
- List of Australia Davis Cup team representatives
