James Duckworth reveals the truth behind his mystery snub from the Aussie Davis Cup side

Why was James Duckworth snubbed from the Davis Cup squad? The mystery is over as the Aussie reveals the full truth behind his absence.

Jordan Thompson (left) has withdrawn from the Australian Davis Cup team as he recovers from Covid. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The mystery over James Duckworth’s Davis Cup snub is over.

The truth is it wasn’t a snub at all – at least the second time, when Australia’s captain Lleyton Hewitt had to replace Jordan Thompson, who contracted Covid-19.

There was widespread surprise at why Hewitt selected Alex Bolt as Thompson’s replacement rather than the country’s form player in Duckworth.

The 29-year-old not only beat squad members John Millman and Alexei Popyrin in recent times but was outplaying every other contender, so from the outside it was a perplexing call.

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News Corp Australia can reveal that Hewitt actually offered the spot to Duckworth but he turned it down, because he had already booked his flight home from Paris and organised quarantine in Adelaide.

He was mentally and physically exhausted after a purple patch of form that saw him break into the world’s top 50 for the first time on the back of making his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final.

There was also a logical reason behind his initial omission.

James Duckworth turned down the offer from Lleyton Hewitt. Picture: Getty Images

“It seems like it’s been built up like there’s something going on with Lleyton and I,” Duckworth told News Corp Australia.

“They had to name a team quite early for Davis Cup this year, so Lleyton decided just after the US Open (in September) to name the team, and at that stage I was sitting fifth in the rankings out of the Aussie boys.

“He called me then and it was a tough decision for me, because I was the one who missed out.

“You’re always going to feel that you should be in the team, but I could understand where he was coming from … it was a close call and I can’t come out and say I should have been in the team.”

Duckworth watched with interest the incredulous reaction to him not being the substitute for Thompson at the end of a season he toppled top-20 players David Goffin, Roberto Bautista

Agut and Jannik Sinner.

“Lleyton asked me if I wanted to come (after Thompson’s withdrawal) but I just felt it was too difficult to come at late notice,” he said.

“Everyone is saying, ‘How was James not picked?’. I had a really long year and I’d already organised my flight back and my quarantine, and the timing of it was pretty tricky for me.

“Lleyton was really good about it and completely understood. He didn’t put any pressure on me either way.”

Duckworth had been competing at the ATP Paris Masters. Picture: AFP

Duckworth’s decision to return to Brisbane for a training block with his coach, Wayne Arthurs, after the Miami Masters in March – skipping most of the clay-court season – looks a masterstroke now.

He made the third round at Wimbledon and won a match at the Tokyo Olympics, but his form truly took off from the time he won a Challenger title in Turkey in September.

Duckworth reached his first ATP final the next week before more solid results leading into his Paris Masters breakthrough, where world No.10 Hubert Hurkacz barely denied him a clash with Novak Djokovic.

He slashed his ranking from 85 in August to a career-high 47 by November – and is now taking aim at the top 30 and a grand slam seeding, while acknowledging there is still plenty of work ahead.

It’s rarified air for a player who had always shown promise but was repeatedly curtailed by injury, including eight surgeries to correct foot, elbow and shoulder ailments.

“I would have loved to play Novak in a semi-final of a Masters Series event – that would’ve been great – but I’ll definitely take the week I had,” he said.

“I was down a break in the third set against Bautista Agut, so I could’ve easily lost in the first round but ended up making the quarters, so it was a great way to finish the year.”

Duckworth’s new top-50 ranking will also ensure he is part of Australia’s ATP Cup squad in January.

But first things first – he gets out of quarantine on Wednesday morning and will fly to Brisbane to see his girlfriend, Madison, and step foot in their new home for the first time.

Aussie Davis Cup team rocked by Covid case

Jordan Thompson has withdrawn from the Australian Davis Cup team as he recovers from Covid, allowing Alex Bolt to earn the second call-up of his career to the team.

Thompson, the fourth-highest-ranked Australian on the ATP Tour, pulled out from the team as Lleyton Hewitt prepares his troops for the Davis Cup Finals, slated to begin on November 25.

For Bolt, a late call-up was the last thing he was expecting.

“To be honest, I wasn’t really expecting it at all,” Bolt said.

“I was having dinner with my housemates when I saw I had an incoming call from Lleyton Hewitt and I wasn’t really sure what it was going to be about.

“As the phone call unfolded, he asked me if I wanted to be on the team.

“It’s something that as a young kid, I’ve always wanted to be part of the Davis Cup team and one day represent my country.

“Anytime I’m offered a spot on the team, I was never going to knock that back.”

Jordan Thompson has withdrawn from the Australian Davis Cup team after contracting Covid. Picture: Brenton Edwards/AFP

The 28-year-old has been in career-best form in 2021, earning five top-100 victories and making it to the second round at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Bolt was already beginning his preparations for the Australian pre-season on home soil when he got the call, but knew he simply couldn’t turn down such a big opportunity.

“I’ve been home in Australia for two weeks now,” Bolt said. “Just started to refresh the body and mind.

“Now having to fly back overseas is going to take a little bit of adjustment, but I’d go anywhere for the Davis Cup.

“As soon as I got the call, I was ready to go wherever.”

Bolt will join Aussie teammates Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, John Millman and John Peers.

Australia has enjoyed plenty of success in the competition, winning the Davis Cup 28 times.

However, their last trophy came in 2003 on the back of some serious heroics from Mark Philippoussis.

The Aussies begin their Davis Cup Finals campaign in Group D and will face Croatia and Hungary during the round-robin stage in Turin.

The series against Croatia begins on November 25 at 2am (AEDT).