James Duckworth is hoping his recent form has done enough to secure another Australia Davis Cup call-up for the World Group I tie against Poland in Brisbane later this month.
The 34-year-old, currently Australia’s No.2 men’s singles player, remains in contention for a place in captain Lleyton Hewitt’s squad after continuing to produce consistent results on the ATP Tour.
Duckworth’s latest campaign ended with a second-round defeat by China’s Yibing Wu at the US Open, but his place among Australia’s leading players has strengthened during a productive year. He also won a Challenger title in Sydney, the 17th of his professional career.
Australia will face Poland at Pat Rafter Arena from 19 to 20 September, with victory required to secure a place in the 2027 Davis Cup Qualifiers. The full team has yet to be confirmed.
Alex de Minaur has already been named to lead the home side, while Hewitt will make his final selections from a group that includes several established professionals. The tie will be played on outdoor hard courts, with two singles matches on the opening day before doubles and reverse singles on the Sunday.
Duckworth has represented Australia previously and has spoken of the significance of wearing the green and gold. His first Davis Cup appearance came in 2020, and he has continued to push for further opportunities despite spending much of his career outside the sport’s elite rankings.
Poland could prove a difficult opponent, with former world No.6 Hubert Hurkacz and improving Kamil Majchrzak among the players available to captain Mariusz Fyrstenberg. Hurkacz is now ranked outside the top 50, while Majchrzak has reached the highest ranking of his career.
Australia’s position was weakened by a 3-1 defeat by Ecuador earlier in the year, a result which ended its hopes of reaching the Davis Cup Finals in 2026. Another loss to Poland would leave the 28-time champions facing a relegation play-off rather than a route back into the qualifiers.
Duckworth’s selection is therefore likely to depend on both his form and Hewitt’s preferred combination of singles and doubles players. For the veteran Australian, the Brisbane tie offers another chance to add to his international record.
