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Davis Cup Shocker: Australia Eliminated by Ecuador
9 Feb
Summary
- Australia suffered a 3-0 defeat against Ecuador in Davis Cup qualifying.
- Key players Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin were absent for Australia.
- Australia will now play in World Group 1 playoffs to avoid relegation.
Davis Cup titans Australia have been eliminated at the first qualifying hurdle, suffering a significant 3-0 defeat to Ecuador. This marks a second consecutive early exit for captain Lleyton Hewitt's squad.
Australia's team, lacking the presence of Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin, found no answer on Ecuador's clay courts. The absence of these top players proved costly as Ecuador's team, ranked outside the top 200, secured a clean sweep.
Guillen Meza defeated Rinky Hijikata, followed by Andres Andrade's victory over James Duckworth. The doubles pairing of Hijikata and Jordan Thompson then fell in straight sets, sealing Ecuador's decisive win.
De Minaur and Popyrin cited demanding tennis schedules for their unavailability. However, both are slated to compete in the upcoming Rotterdam Open, with De Minaur as the top seed.
Australia will now compete in the World Group 1 playoffs, aiming to retain their position and avoid relegation to World Group 2. This defeat follows a string of recent challenges for the 28-time Davis Cup champions.
