Rinky Hijikata And Jordan Thompson Keep Australia’s Davis Cup Alive With Doubles Comeback

Rinky Hijikata has made a triumphant Davis Cup debut to thief support Australia successful their second-round qualifying necktie against Belgium successful Sydney.

Hijikata and chap Sydneysider Jordan Thompson recovered from nan brink to propulsion disconnected a tense 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 6-4 triumph complete Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen connected Sunday to peg Australia’s shortage backmost to 2-1.

World No 8 Alex de Minaur must hit nan 46th-ranked Zizou Bergs successful nan first reverse singles rubber to springiness Thompson a changeable of steering Australia location erstwhile he faces Raphael Collignon successful nan imaginable decider.

The necktie could person been each complete had Thompson and Hijikata not rallied backmost from a group down and 3 break points down astatine love-40 astatine 3-3 successful nan second.

Australia’s all-grand-slam-winning pairing drew a opinionated ovation from nan packed crowd astatine Ken Rosewall Arena aft conjuring their mighty comeback.

Runners-up successful 2022 and 2023 and semi-finalists past year, Australia are hoping to scope nan quarter-finals for a 4th consecutive campaign.

There was small wriggle room aft De Minaur and Thompson mislaid their opening singles matches connected Saturday.

The Belgian doubles duo were nigh connected impenetrable connected service successful nan opening group against Thompson and Hijikata, hardly dropping a constituent and conjuring nan only break and group points.

Hijikata was nether immense unit staring down group constituent connected service aft coughing up an untimely first double responsibility of nan lucifer and watching nan left-handed Vliegen firearm 2 monolithic return winners.

The 2025 Wimbledon doubles runner-up roseate to nan situation and past fired a booming forehand return down nan statement to springiness Australia their 4 group points successful nan tiebreaker.

Alas, Hijikata and Thompson were incapable to person from 6-2 up arsenic Belgium snatched nan group to stun fans.

Alex de Minaur cheers connected Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson successful their qualifying 2nd information doubles match. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

The location squad was successful dire problem successful nan 2nd set, erstwhile Hijikata fell love-40 down serving astatine 3-3, but staved disconnected 4 break points to enactment successful nan lucifer - and nan tie.

Riding nan momentum shift, nan Aussies collapsed nan Belgians for a first clip successful nan very adjacent crippled to large wind to a 5-3 lead arsenic some stars nailed groundstroke winners aft immoderate pulsating rallies.

In a lucifer afloat of twists and turns, Thompson had to fend disconnected 2 break points earlier Hijikata yet put Australia backmost connected level position pinch a piercing forehand volley connected their 4th group point.

Thompson fell to nan tribunal specified was nan ferocity of a forehand that drew nan Belgian correction for Australia to prehend nan decisive break successful nan 3rd crippled of nan deciding set.

He was quickly up, chest-bumping and sprinting to nan changeover successful delight.

Two much work holds each from Thompson and Hijikata were capable arsenic Australia yet prevailed aft 2 hours and 24 minutes of tense action.