Past and present top 10 players in men’s and women’s tennis have been confirmed to take part in the United Cup in the lead-up to the Australian Open in January.
Poland and Switzerland duked it out in the final of the 2026 edition of this mixed team event, which took place in Perth and Sydney, with the former coming out on top in a 2-1 victory.
A total of 18 countries took part in the tournament, which has become a popular warm-up event before the year’s first Grand Slam.
Now, according to The West Australian, a few big names have been ‘locked in’ for the competition that runs from 1-10 January. The report states that world No 8 Alex De Minaur – who just lost in the Vienna Open final – is set to lead Australia and will be partnered by world No 46 Kimberly Birrell or Talia Gibson, who is at a career-high of 36.
Elsewhere, Team Canada is set to be made up of world No 13 Felix Auger-Aliassime and Victoria Mboko, who has fallen to 21st in the rankings after being out with a knee injury since June.
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The 20-year-old hasn’t played since hurting herself at Queen’s Club, but going by her remarks, it seems the young Canadian will return for the United Cup.
“It’s an honour to represent Canada again at the United Cup,” said the former world No 9. “The United Cup is a unique event, and I’m proud to represent my country and compete alongside my teammates.”
And her compatriot Auger-Aliassime added, “I’m excited to start the new year in Australia at the United Cup. I’m looking forward to seeing the draw and finding out whether Team Canada will be heading to Perth or Sydney.”
For Team Greece, former Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas is set to lead a team alongside Maria Sakkari. The latter said she could not wait for what is likely to be an “incredible atmosphere”, while the former talked up just how special this event is.
Former world No 3 Tsitsipas said, “We’ve shared many milestones over the years, and this is just the beginning of another exciting chapter. We can’t wait to see what we can do together at the United Cup.
“One of the best things is the team environment. You’re not just out there competing for yourself; you’re also on the sidelines cheering, bringing the energy and supporting your teammates. There’s nothing quite like it.”
The West adds that the full list of countries and players will be revealed later this month when the draw is finalised. Tournament director Stephen Farrow finished by expressing his excitement at what lies ahead.
He said, “Auger-Aliassime, Mboko, Tsitsipas and Sakkari sets the tone for what’s to come. They’re four of the game’s most talented players, and we can’t wait to welcome more of the world’s best to Perth and Sydney this summer.
“The atmosphere in the crowd at the United Cup is absolutely electric. We’re super excited to see ‘tennis turned up’ at all matches this summer.”
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