The Australia Davis Cup team is the second most successful team ever to compete in the Davis Cup, winning the coveted title on 28 separate occasions, second behind the United States with 32.
Australia also participated in winning the Davis Cup six times with New Zealand under the alias Australasia (1905–1922).
History
Australasia: 1905–1922
While Australia and New Zealand have been two separate countries, the two countries did compete together under the alias Australasia in a number of sports, including Davis Cup in the first couple of decades of the 20th century.
Australian players began playing Davis Cup tennis in 1905 as a part of the Australasia Davis Cup team, which allowed players from New Zealand to compete on the same team. Despite players from New Zealand being eligible to represent Australasia, Anthony Wilding was the only New Zealander to play for the team while it existed.
During this period, the team won the Davis Cup on six occasions in 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914 and 1919.
In 1920, Australasia lost in the challenge round to the United States Davis Cup team 0–5 at home in Auckland. The team then reached the final in 1921 before again making the challenge round in 1922. The team lost 1–4 against the United States, away in New York City. This was the last ever tournament under the Australasia moniker before the nations began competing as separate entities.
The fledgling years: 1923–1937 In the first tournament as the stand-alone Australia team, the side reached the challenge round, again losing 1–4 to the United States in New York City. The following year, Australia beat Japan 5–0 in the America Zone to qualify for the Inter-zonal final, where they defeated France 3–2 to set up another Challenge round rematch against the US for the third consecutive year. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be for Australia, this time losing 0–5 in Philadelphia. France were able to enact revenge in 1925 when they defeated Australia 3–1 in the inter-zonal final.
The following few years would prove to be a lean spell for Australia, as they were either absent from the competition or were knocked out in the early rounds until they returned to form in 1933. Beginning the tournament from the second round of the Europe Zone, they won three ties before losing to eventual champions, Great Britain in the Europe Zone final. They went one round further in 1934, losing 2–3 to the United States in the inter-zonal final. In 1936, Australia won three ties to set up a Challenge round Final against Great Britain. Great Britain made use of the home ground advantage, winning 3–2 at the All England club in Wimbledon, London. 1937 would see Australia lose 0–5 in the America Zone final to eventual champions, United States. However this would spark a period of significant dominance for Australia.
Dominance
From 1937 to 1973, the only teams to win the Davis Cup were Australia and the U.S., in which 31 times were between one another. Australia won the Davis Cup title 17 times in 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1973.
Between 1938 and 1968, Australia participated in the challenge round for a consecutive 25 years, winning 16 titles and losing 9 times. This streak included earning the record for most consecutive titles with four. This accomplishment was achieved on three separate occasions, in 1950 to 1953, 1959 to 1962 and 1964 to 1967. Australia also recorded three consecutive titles between 1955 and 1957.
The only decades that Australia didn't win the Davis Cup was in the 1920s, 1940s and 2010s. Australia was runner up eight times during the 1920s and 1940s.
After the 1973 victory, Australia won the title another five times: 1977, 1983, 1986, 1999 and 2003. From 1999 to 2003, Australia reached the final round four times and won in 1999 and 2003.
2000 to 2009 In 2003, Lleyton Hewitt came back from two sets to love down against Roger Federer of Switzerland to win in five sets in the fourth rubber to clinch a Davis Cup final berth. In the final, Australia defeated Spain 3–1 in Melbourne Park in which Mark Philippoussis, with a torn pectoral muscle, defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero in five sets.
After Australia's 2003 win over Spain, Australia lost in the 2004 Davis Cup; Sweden beat Australia 4–1. Australia then had to play a world group qualifying match against Morocco, which it won 4–1. Australia solidified its spot in the 2005 Davis Cup world group and breezed through its first round against Austria 5–0. Argentina beat Australia in the next round.
In 2006, Australia managed to defeat Switzerland 3–2 in the fifth rubber in the first round. Australia then beat Belarus statement a 5–0 victory. Australia suffered a 5–0 loss to Argentina in the semifinals.
In the 2007 Davis Cup, Australia lost its first tie against Belgium, putting Australia in the world group playoffs. Australia drew Serbia in Serbia for a world group playoff, and Serbia won 4–1 overall.
The 2008 Davis Cup saw Australia beat Chinese Taipei 4–1 and Thailand 5–0. Australia then advanced to the world group playoffs, where it lost to Chile 3–2.
In the 2009 Davis Cup, Australia beat Thailand 3–2, and the team was drawn to against India in Chennai. Australia refused to play the tie in India for security concerns, so India advanced to the world group playoffs via forfeit.
2010's In the 2010 Davis Cup, Australia easily advanced through the Asia/Oceania playoffs with 5–0 defeats of Chinese Taipei and Japan. Australia then played a home tie against Belgium, losing 3–2.
For the fourth year in a row, Australia started its 2011 Davis Cup campaign in the Asia/Oceania playoffs. Australia then advanced to the 2011 Davis Cup World Group play-offs, where it received a home tie against seeded Switzerland. Played on grass at the Royal Sydney Golf Club in Sydney, Australia, Australia lost to Switzerland 3–2.
Australia began its 2012 Davis Cup again in the Asia/Oceania playoffs. Australia easily beat for China in the first round with a 5–0 victory and South Korea in the semifinals with a 5–0 win. Australia faced Germany in Hamburg, losing the tie 3–2.
Rivalries
Australia and the United States
Having both teams dominate the competition for 36 years, Australia and the United States have had an intense rivalry in Davis Cup. They have played each other in the Davis Cup final on 29 separate occasions, with Australia leading the head-to-head 15–14. The first Davis Cup final meeting was in 1908 in which Australia triumphed 3–2. In fact, Australia won the first three Davis Cup final ties between the two, in the aforementioned 1908, 1909 and 1911. The final Davis Cup meeting between the pair was in 1990, in which the U.S. won 3–1.
In recent years, the rivalry has waned, while the two teams had not played each other from 1999 to 2016, when Australia hosted the U.S. in Round 1 of the 2016 Cup. The two teams last met in the quarterfinal of the 2024 Davis Cup, which extended their total meetings to 48. As of the completion of the 2024 meeting, the ledger stands at 26–22 in favour of the U.S.
Results and fixtures
The following are lists of match results and scheduled matches for the previous year and any upcoming ties.
2025
2026
Players
Current team The following players were selected for the 2026 Davis Cup World Group I held in Brisbane, Australia. Player information and rankings prior to the round.
+Team nominations against Poland in 2026. Player Born ATP ranking Debut Ties Win-loss ATP Profile Singles Doubles Singles Doubles Total 9 337 2018 12 23 16–9 0–1 16–9 67 893 2021 – 85 184 2025 – Non-playing captain: Lleyton Hewitt
Captains There have been 19 Davis Cup captains since Australia's first participation in the event in 1905 (as Australasia).
NameTenureFinalsBest ResultWYearsFYears Years 1905–1914, 1919–1920, 1935 126 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 19192 1912, 1920 n/a 1921 11 1921 n/a 1922–1923 22 1922, 1923 n/a 1924, 1928, 1946 32 1924, 1946 n/a 1925 1 3rd 1925 1930 1 4R 1930 1932 1 3R 1932 1933–1934 2 3rd1934 1936–1937 21 1936 n/a 1938–1939, 1950–1969 2216 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 19675 1938, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1968n/a Roy Cowling 1947 11 1947n/aAdrian Quist 1948 11 1948n/a John Bromwich 1949 11 1949n/aNeale Fraser 1970–1994 254 1973, 1977, 1983, 19862 1990, 1993n/aJohn Newcombe 1995–2000 61 19991 2000n/aJohn Fitzgerald 2001–2010 101 20031 2001n/a Pat Rafter 2011–2014 41R 2014 Wally Masur 2015 1 SF 2015Lleyton Hewitt 2016– 92 2022, 2023n/a Notes
Records
Lleyton Hewitt holds the record for most number of years participated (19), most ties played (43) and most matches played (79). He also holds the record for most rubbers won (59) and most singles matches won (42). Rex Hartwig holds the record for highest win percentage (92.3% from 13 matches) and Todd Woodbridge has won the most doubles matches (25).
Vivian McGrath is the youngest player to have competed in the Davis Cup at 17 years and 84 days, while Norman Brookes is the oldest player at 43 years and 46 days.
The records for longest tie (15 hours and 19 minutes) and match (4 hours and 30 minutes) were set in the 2007 First Round tie in Belgium and the most games in a match (99) and most games in a tie (327) were set in the 1974 Eastern Zone Final against India.
Australia's longest winning streak is set at 9 ties from 18 July 1959 to 28 December 1962.
Australia appeared in 25 consecutive Davis Cup Challenge Rounds from 1938 to 1968 and 3 consecutive Davis Cup Finals from 1999 to 2001. They have also won the title for four consecutive times on four separate occasions.
Roy Emerson holds the record for most consecutive tiles won by a player, with 8 consecutive titles. Harry Hopman holds the record for most consecutive tiles won by a captain, with 16 consecutive titles.
All told, Australia has won 28 Davis Cup titles and have been runners-up on 20 occasions.
Performance timeline KeyW F SFQF#RRRZ#POANH
Year1900 1901 1902 1903 19041905 1906 1907 19081909 19101911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 ResultA NH A A A SF SF W WW NHW F 1R W Not Held W W–L — — — — — 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 — 1–0 0–1 0–1 4–0 — 1–0 Year1920 19211922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 ResultF SF F F FSF A A 1R A 4R A 3R QF SF 3R F QF F W W–L 0–1 3–1 4–1 2–1 4–1 3–1 — — 0–1 — 3–1 — 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 1–1 3–1 6–0 Year1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 19451946 1947 1948 19491950 1951 1952 19531954 1955 1956 19571958 1959 ResultNot Held F F F F W W W W F W W W F W W–L— 0–1 2–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 6–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 6–0 Year1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 19721973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 ResultWW W F W WW W F 3R 4R 3R SF W QF SF SF W SF SF W–L 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 5–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 0–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–1 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–1 Year1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 19851986 1987 19881989 19901991 1992 19931994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 ResultSF SF SF W SF SF W SF QF 1R F QF QF F 1R 1R*PO*SF 1R W W–L 2–1 2–1 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–1 4–0 2–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 3–0 2–1 1–1 4–0 Year2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 20052006 2007 20082009 20102011 2012 20132014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ResultF F 1R W 1R QF SF 1R* PO Z2 PO PO PO PO* 1R SF 1R SF 1R QF W–L 3–1 3–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 3–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 3–1 Year2020–21 20222023 2024 2025 ResultRR F F SF 2R W–L2–1 5–2 4–2 3–2 1–1
Record
Home and away record (since 1981; all 102 match-ups)
Performance at home (50 match-ups): 41–9 (82.2%) Performance away (52 match-ups): 29–23 (55.5%) Total: 69–31 (68.8%)
Head-to-head record