Fresh off hitting a heady new rankings high, Alex de Minaur has made the "brutal" call to sit out a Davis Cup tie for the first time since debuting for Australia almost a decade ago.
After agonising, and much consultation with Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur has opted to put self-preservation ahead of his unquestionable national pride following the most stellar season of the 26-year-old's career.
