This week, the ATP crew has been all about patriotic pride. The Davis Cup round two qualifiers kicked off with plenty of drama. Team Australia gave it their all but couldn’t get past the tough Belgian squad. But the heat wasn’t only on the players. Team captain Lleyton Hewitt faced extra pressure from the ITIA before the tournament even began.

If you missed it, on September 10, the ITIA handed Hewitt a two-week suspension and an AU$30,000 fine. The tribunal found him guilty under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. The case goes back to November 2024 in Malaga. Hewitt allegedly shoved a 60-year-old chaperone after Australia’s Davis Cup semifinal loss to Italy. He was charged with “offensive conduct towards a doping control official.” But now, Hewitt is making a bold claim.

Earlier today, Fox Sports reported that Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion, said “manipulated” video evidence was used against him. This evidence was part of the investigation involving the anti-doping official during the Davis Cup. The case has already caught a lot of attention. Hewitt’s claim adds another twist to the ongoing controversy around his suspension. And it’s not the first.

Previously, the team captain claimed that he did not know it was an ITIA official. Back in 2024 at the Davis Cup, Lleyton Hewitt walked alongside Alex de Minaur through a packed tunnel. Suddenly, a doping control officer (DCO) who never identified himself to either player made contact with Hewitt, who was still recovering from surgery. When the officer hurried back toward de Minaur, Hewitt, fearing another clash, instinctively pushed him away. The key detail? Hewitt had no idea who the DCO was or why he was even there.

Meanwhile, the ITIA’s detailed ruling sheds light on the key video. The clip runs 42 seconds and was shot “from the other side of the stadium.” The video came from the doping control officer’s wife. At the time, there were at least “17 individuals present in and around the tunnel area” during the heated exchange with Lleyton Hewitt.

Moreover, the ITIA rejected Lleyton Hewitt’s claim that the video was manipulated, telling Nine papers, “The video footage was not manipulated, and if Mr. Hewitt believed it was, then he had the opportunity to raise this allegation at the hearing.” They added that the full tribunal decision is available on their website and reminded that Hewitt still has the right to appeal.

The case is far from over and could take longer to resolve. With Australia out of the Davis Cup, the tournament pressure lifts off Hewitt’s shoulders. However, that doesn’t mean the conflict is settled.

Lleyton Hewitt’s wife comes forth with a “real fear”

Married since 2005, Lleyton and Bec Hewitt have weathered the ups and downs of professional tennis and life in the spotlight. Bec, a former pro herself, really gets the pressures Lleyton faces and stands by him, both on and off the court. But recent events have taken a toll on the family. Bec’s “real fear” has come to light after Lleyton was slapped with a major penalty following a shocking ruling by tennis officials. The fine and suspension rattled the Hewitt household, and insiders reveal it’s causing plenty of tension.

An insider told Woman’s Day that Bec “is at her ‘wits’ end with this latest round of drama,” which has reportedly stirred tension within the family. “She knows her husband better than anyone,” the source said, “and while Lleyton fought the claims, she would be telling him to cop the punishment on the chin, and get on with it.” Yet, her “real fear” lies in Tennis Australia possibly deciding to “review Lleyton’s role with our Davis Cup team.”

The same source revealed that this controversy “really upsets Bec,” especially when Lleyton’s “integrity is questioned.” The ITIA pointed out Hewitt’s “poor disciplinary record, including five prior incidents of offensive conduct toward tennis officials and non-compliance with tennis rules,” and described his behavior during the hearing as “obstructive and inappropriate.”

The situation is escalating. Will Lleyton Hewitt manage to defend his case successfully? What’s your take on this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.