The countdown for the third edition of the international mixed team event, the United Cup, is almost over. On Friday, tennis action will resume in Australia, unfolding a much anticipated 2025 tennis season.
Across 10 days (December 27-January 5), the host cities of Perth and Sydney will see the 18-country line-up battling for glory.
On Friday, the countries from Groups C and E will open their campaigns in Perth.
Kazakhstan will take on Spain in the day session while Brazil sets off night action against China.
Elena Rybakina, 25, will help lead her country, playing singles and doubles on debut at the United Cup.
“It’s my first time playing in the United Cup. I’m looking forward to it. We have a good team; hopefully, we can win,” said the World No. 6.
Early in November, the 2022 Wimbledon champion joined forces with Novak Djokovic’s former coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
The Kazakh will hit the court to play Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro with the Croat in her box.
Perth is home to Group A (Top seeds USA, Canada, Croatia), Group C (Greece, Kazakhstan, Spain), and Group E (China, Germany, Brazil).
The Germans are the reigning champions. Last season, the team edged Poland in the final, an epic encounter that saw grueling duels on the way to a box office mixed doubles decider.
Eventually, the German pairing of Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund shocked the dominant Pole duo Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz to lift the trophy for the first time.
They will all be back at the event this week alongside a stellar player field, which includes seven of the world’s Top 10 women and six of the world’s Top 12 men, bidding to start the season on a high note.
Meanwhile, Saturday will see action in Perth (Day 2) and Sydney; the latter will open proceedings when nations from Group D and F take Center Court, with France facing off against Switzerland.
In the night session, a packed Ken Rosewall Arena will welcome home favorites Australia against Argentina, making a second appearance at the venue.
Sydney is home to Group B (Poland, Czechia, Norway), Group D (Italy, France, Switzerland), and Group F (Great Britain, Australia, Argentina).
Rules & Format
The RAC Arena in Perth and the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center will host nine teams each in the group stage and quarterfinals.
Moreover, throughout the group stage, the format establishes six groups of three teams play best-of-three matches, competing in a round-robin format.
Each tie will consist of one men’s singles match, one women’s singles, and one mixed doubles match.
The winners from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with one last-eight spot also awarded to the best runner-up team in Perth and Sydney.
The semifinals and the championship match will take place in Sydney.
Furthermore, the organizers are introducing 60-second timeouts for the tournament.
Players or captains (sitting courtside during matches) can make the call once during mixed doubles matches but never between first and second serves.
“Timeouts initiate a pause in play, it’s a time for teams to discuss tactics and strategy and potentially change the momentum of a match,” outlined United Cup Tournament Director Stephen Farrow.
“We’re excited to see how the best tennis players in the world and their teams use this new tool.”