Lleyton Hewitt has tipped Alex de Minaur to enjoy his most successful Australian Open in 2025, despite admitting the 25-year-old’s Davis Cup hopes still hang in the balance after an ongoing hip injury. The Aussie captain was part of the draw for the United Cup which has pitted de Minaur against his girlfriend Katie Boulter after Australia drew Great Britain in the opening round of the mixed team event.

The Aussies will face the Brits and a yet to be determined third nation in Sydney for what is the third edition of the United Cup. And it means de Minaur could come up against his fellow tennis star girlfriend Boulter in the mixed doubles of the competition.

The draw was held in Sydney on Monday by Hewitt and former Aussie tennis star, Casey Dellacqua. And Hewitt couldn’t help but laugh after Australia and Great Britain were drawn together. “You’re in trouble, you’re in so much trouble,” he grinned to Casey Dellacqua after she drew Great Britain into Group F of the mixed team tournament that begins in December. “We had to play against Katie last year and I think that was the one and only time they were prepared to do it… Just wait until he wakes up in Europe,” Hewitt joked.

The third team in Australia’s group will be decided by combined WTA and ATP rankings at the end of the season, but is likely to be either Croatia or Argentina. De Minaur could still be spared a showdown against Boulter in the mixed doubles as Matt Ebden is Australia’s designated doubles player and would more than likely partner one of Olivia Gadecki, Destanee Aiava or Ellen Perez.

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The draw also puts Minaur on a potential collision course with in-form Brit Jack Draper, who downed the Aussie No.1 in straight sets in the US Open quarter-finals earlier this year. Each United Cup tie involves a men’s and women’s singles match – played by that nation’s top-ranked player – plus a mixed doubles match.

The top-ranked nation in each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals, alongside the best runner up in each city, with the semi finals and final to be played in Sydney. Competition will begin at Perth’s RAC Arena on December 27, and in Sydney a day later. The official schedule will be released on Tuesday, with Australia’s final opponent to be determined on November 19.

Alex de Minaur getting back to full fitness after hip injury

De Minaur has been battling to get back to full fitness after being hampered by a hip injury that forced him to withdraw from his Wimbledon quarter-final against Novak Djokavic and flared up against Draper at the US Open. The injury remains a talking point with Australia’s Davis Cup finals campaign getting underway next month, with de Minaur also hoping to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

De Minaur has enjoyed a breakout year that saw him jump into the top-10 for the first time in his career, before being somewhat derailed by the hip injury. The World No.9 suffered a shock quarter-final defeat to Hugo Gaston at the European Open last week but is competing at the Vienna Open this week, with the Paris Masters to follow.

“He’s really just trying to build up the matches now,” Hewitt said about de Minaur. “I don’t think he was really prepared to play that tournament (the European Open), it was just kind of trying to get some cobwebs out and actually play a couple of matches before he goes into playing a 500 this week.”

Lleyton Hewitt says Alex de Minaur no certainty for Davis Cup

De Minaur needs to rise into the world’s top-eight to qualify for the ATP Finals and will also be hoping to show Hewitt he’s back to form and full fitness to push his case for selection in Australia’s Davis Cup finals squad. But Hewitt conceded his participation is far from assured. “He’s still giving himself a chance for Turin and obviously the Davis Cup Finals if he’s up for it,” Hewitt said. “A lot depends over the next month.”

The Aussie captain was adamant that de Minaur had a massive year ahead of him though and predicted the 25-year-old would enjoy his best Australian Open campaign to date and finally make it past the round of 16 at his home grand slam. “Absolutely,” Hewitt said about his compatriot. “The highest you get seeded, it takes out some of the dangerous players at the top of the game and you sometimes get a kinder draw.

“He certainly wants to push deeper. He’s only done the round of 16 at the Australian Open and the last three majors after that this year have been quarterfinals. Fingers crossed he can tick that off and at least make the final eight.”

with AAP