Steve Darcis beat Carsten Ball 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4 as Belgium rallied to beat Australia 3-2 to return to the Davis Cup World Group.
Australia led 2-1 after winning the doubles match on Saturday but lost both reverse singles matches Monday in the rain-interrupted playoff, struggling after former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt injured his wrist and had to withdraw before his last scheduled match.
Hewitt, who won his opening singles match and injured his hand as he helped win the doubles, was replaced by Peter Luczak in a singles match that started Sunday and finished Monday.
Olivier Rochus beat Luczak 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (2) to level the playoff at 2-2 before Darcis clinched it for Belgium, ensuring 28-time champion Australia would languish in the Asia-Oceania regional group for a fourth consecutive year.
It was an impressive comeback for Darcis, who missed the opening singles match and doubles with an injured shoulder.
Unseasonal Spring rain in tropical far northern Australia decreased any advantage the hosts would have enjoyed from the expected heat and humidity, and also extended the best-of-five playoff over four days instead of three.
Rochus, who won his opening singles match against Ball, was level at 4-4 with Luczak on Sunday when play was postponed to Monday because of storms.
He eventually won the match in just under 4 1/2 hours to keep Belgium in the chase to secure a World Group spot for 2011.
