Lleyton Hewitt, the Australian Davis Cup captain and former world number one, has been handed a two-week suspension and fined AUS$30,000 (around €17,000) for offensive conduct towards an anti-doping official, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed on Tuesday.
The sanction will be effective from September 24 to October 7, 2025, so as not to affect the Davis Cup where Australia faces Belgium next Saturday, and during that time, Hewitt will not be able to perform any tennis-related duties, including coaching, mentoring or captaincy.
A boost for the 2024 Davis Cup in Malaga
On November 23, 2024, Australia lost in the semifinals of the Davis Cup to Italy in Malaga, and after the match, the former tennis player, winner of two Grand Slam titles, pushed a volunteer who was acting as an anti-doping escort
The former world number one denied the charge, claiming self-defense, but the ITIA’s investigation – which included video analysis, witness statements and interviews – determined that his behavior breached Article 7.15.1.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).
His conduct was neither reasonable nor proportionate
The case was reviewed by an independent tribunal chaired by Michael Heron KC, which after several sessions held in June and July 2025 in Sydney, concluded that Hewitt’s version “did not meet the requirements of self-defence” and that his conduct “was neither reasonable nor proportionate”.
“The actions of the individual were unacceptable and have no place in our sport,” said ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse. “The decision to impose a lifetime ban was the right one in these circumstances.”
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