Everything you need to know about the United Cup
By Billie Eder
The 2025 Australian Open is more than two weeks away, but some of the world’s best tennis players have already made their way Down Under for the United Cup, which starts on Friday.
Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev, the men’s and women’s world No.2s, and top-ranked Australian Alex de Minaur are some of the big names in action in the first tournament of the 2025 season.
What is the United Cup?
A mixed-teams event similar to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Eighteen countries are split into six groups of three, where they compete in a round-robin format.
Each group stage match includes a men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles rubber. The group stage matches will be played at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney and RAC Arena in Perth.
The first tie of the tournament kicks off in Perth at 10am local time (1pm, AEDT) on December 27, when Kazakhstan take on Spain. China meet with Brazil on Friday evening, from 8pm AEDT.
Germany’s Alexander Zverev practices in Perth on Boxing Day before the United Cup kicks off on Friday.Credit: Getty Images
Sydney’s first matches are on December 28, when France and Switzerland battle it out from 10.30am, before the Australian team takes to the court for its opener against Argentina at 5.30pm.
The six countries finishing top of their group will progress to the quarter-finals, along with the two best runners-up. Semi-finals are played in Sydney on January 4 from 10.30am, with the final to be played from 5.30pm on January 5.
Who is competing, and who are the favourites?
There are plenty of big names getting work in ahead of the Australian Open, including Stefanos Tsitsipas, Elena Rybakina, Karolina Muchova and Jasmine Paolini.
It’s tough to go past the United States as the team to beat, with world No. 3 Coco Gauff and world No. 4 Taylor Fritz the American singles representatives. Gauff is in fine form after winning the WTA Finals in November, while Fritz made his first grand slam final appearance at the US Open in September.
Being a teams event, however, the mixed doubles can often mean the difference.
For that reason, Italy are likely to be a force to be reckoned with. Paolini is one of the most in-form singles players on the tour after a breakout 2024 in which she made the finals at both Wimbledon and the French Open. But she’s also an accomplished doubles player, winning gold with Sara Errani at the Paris Olympics.
Team Poland, featuring Swiatek and world No.16 Hubert Hurkacz, are also looking strong, as are Greece, who boast Tsitsipas, and last year’s champions team Germany, headlined by Zverev.
But tennis is all about upsets. Just look at Australia’s Alex de Minaur, who launched his incredible 2024 season with shock United Cup wins over Fritz and Novak Djokovic.
What does it mean for the Australian Open?
Players are guaranteed high-quality matches ahead of the first slam of the year – a lure for Gauff and others.
“It’s a good combination of just both relaxed fun and also just high-level competition, which for me is important,” Gauff told this masthead. “The grand slams are already super intense, long, two weeks, so to play something that can prep you well but also kind of meet that fun side of things I think will be a good combination for me going into Melbourne.”
Alex de Minaur speaks to the media in Sydney before a practice session on Ken Rosewall arena.Credit: Edwina Pickles
It’s the same reason de Minaur keeps coming back.
“I think [the 2024 tournament] was extremely important for my confidence, for using it as a springboard, taking my game to a different level, and also cracking the top 10,” de Minaur said. “It’s the perfect way to kind of get ready for the Australian Open and see where your level is at.”
Are there any other lead-up tournaments before the Open?
The next two weeks are packed with tennis action.
As well as the United Cup, the Brisbane International gets underway from December 29, with women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka headlining. Novak Djokovic will also compete in Brisbane, along with Nick Kyrgios, who is making his 2025 comeback.
The Hobart International, where Germany’s Elise Mertens and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska are the top-ranked players, and the Adelaide International, headlined by Paolini and America’s Jessica Pegula, both begin on January 6.
How to watch
Group stage tickets in Sydney and Perth will set you back about $40. On TV, you can tune into 9Now for free-to-air or Stan Sport if you have a subscription.
We’ll be blogging the United Cup from December 28. You can find all the latest tennis news, views and analysis, here.