Purcell aces his Aussie return

By the Editorial Team · Monday, September 21, 2026

Max Purcell and Rinky Hijikata won a key doubles match against Poland in the Davis Cup, marking Purcell’s first home appearance since completing an 18-month doping ban. This victory helped Australia take a 2-1 lead and ultimately secure a spot in the Davis Cup qualifiers for next year.

Max Purcell marked a strong return to Australian soil in the Davis Cup as he and partner Rinky Hijikata secured a crucial doubles victory over Poland at Pat Rafter Arena on Monday. This win was instrumental in edging Australia closer to the next round of the competition.

Purcell’s appearance was particularly noteworthy as it was his first home match since serving an 18-month doping ban. The ban, which ended in June, stemmed from a violation involving an intravenous infusion that exceeded the allowable limit of 100 milliliters within a 12-hour period. After returning to competition with two tournaments earlier this season, Purcell was named to the Davis Cup squad to face Poland, where his performance drew widespread attention.

The doubles match began with a tightly contested first set, which proceeded to a tiebreaker. Purcell and Hijikata quickly gained momentum in the tiebreak, taking a commanding 4-0 lead with a series of confident plays before securing the set. They carried that momentum into the second set, closing it out 6-3 to give Australia a 2-1 lead in the tie.

Australia’s Davis Cup captain, Lleyton Hewitt, praised Purcell’s determination and contribution to the team. “He’s grown up dreaming of getting the opportunity to play Davis Cup and he’s been a massive part of our team for a few years now,” Hewitt said. “Then he got screwed over and for him to get the chance to come back here and play in front of a packed house and the win is massive.”

Purcell himself credited the team environment for his strong showing. “I just felt so comfortable being on this team with these boys and I just wanted to do it for them,” he said. “I find I play some of my best tennis in the Davis Cup.”

Poland’s captain, Mariusz Fyrstenberg, also acknowledged Purcell’s impressive form during the doubles rubber.

With the doubles win putting Australia ahead, the spotlight shifted to Alex de Minaur in the decisive singles match. De Minaur took command against Kamil Majchrzak, winning the first set 6-3 and maintaining pressure to close out the second 6-3, securing Australia’s place in the Davis Cup qualifiers scheduled for early next year.

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