United Cup: Australia draws Great Britain, qualifier in Sydney group

Alex de Minaur will be pitted against his girlfriend for the second year in a row at an important Australian Open warm-up event.

Katie Boulter (left) and Alex de Minaur (right) are set to face each other for the second year in a row after Great Britain was drawn in the same group as Australia for the United Cup. Picture: Jason Koerner / Getty Images

Alex de Minaur faces a less taxing preparation for the Australian Open than last year after the Australian team was drawn to play in Sydney for the duration of the United Cup.

The new-year tournament requires half the competing teams to play in Perth before the semi-finals and final are held in Sydney, but the Aussie team led by de Minaur and new top-ranked woman Olivia Gadecki dodged the extra flying time two weeks out from the grand slam.

Australia was drawn alongside Great Britain and a qualifier for the mixed team event, with each rubber featuring one men’s and women’s singles tie and a mixed doubles match.

The draw meant de Minaur would face his partner, British star Katie Boulter, for the second year in a row after the two nations met in Perth last year.

Alex de Minaur (pictured) and Olivia Gadecki will lead the Australian contingent in the United Cup at the end of this year. Picture: Angel Martinez / Getty Images

It also set up an enthralling singles clash with world No. 19 and US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper.

de Minaur, who returned from a hip injury this week but was beaten by Frenchman Hugo Gaston in the quarter-final of the European Open, last year used the United Cup to rocket into the men’s top 10 for the first time with wins over Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev.

Fritz and Zverev were again named to represent their countries in the upcoming tournament, while the women’s draw was headlined by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, United Cup debutant Coco Gauff and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina.

“I’m very excited to play, it’s going to be a lot of fun. I had some good memories this year, that’s where I cracked the top 10 for the very first time. Any chance you get to represent Australia is always a lot of fun,” de Minaur said.

de Minaur will meet his British partner Katie Boulter (pictured) in the group stage of the tournament. Picture: Wang He / Getty Images

de Minaur said on Friday he was excited to recreate the previous successful event.

“It’s something quite unique (the United Cup) – you don’t do it too often, you have two singles and a mixed doubles. It’s something completely different for the fans, a lot of fun to watch and to be a part of and I’m looking forward to competing.

“The Aussie team energy is always great. We support each other, we have each other’s back. We are just there for each other. The bench is always quite loud and quite vocal and I think it brings the best out of Aussie athletes, just being in a team environment.”

The tournament will begin with six groups of three nations – one half in Perth and the other half in Sydney – on December 27, before both cities host a semi-final tie ahead of the final in Sydney on January 5.

Originally published as United Cup: Australia draws Great Britain, qualifier in Sydney group