United Cup Day 1 Preview: Tsitsipas Leads Greece Charge, De Minaur Carries Home Hopes
The stage is set. The 2023 season begins on Thursday in Australia, where 18 countries will battle it from 29 December-8 January to become United Cup champion.
The new mixed-teams event will see some of the biggest stars in action in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, with Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek and Stefanos Tsitsipas among those representing their countries.
Here is what to watch on Day 1 of the United Cup.
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Perth
A popcorn clash between two former Nitto ATP Finals champions is the highlight of the opening day in Perth, with Greece’s Tsitsipas taking on Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in Group A. Tsitsipas earned a Tour-leading 61 wins last season, lifting trophies in Monte Carlo and Mallorca. The World No. 4 will be aiming to start the new season impressively and build on his winning record against Dimitrov, with Tsitsipas leading their ATP Head2Head series 5-1.
Greece, a nation of only six million, is the top-seeded team at the event. It’s the only country with two players ranked among the top six – World No. 6 Maria Sakkari, who is in action on Friday, and World No. 4 Tsitsipas.
“To see players come out for each other, get out their comfort zone, I think fans will enjoy it,” Tsitsipas said looking ahead to the event. “And then, guys and girls playing together is great. I think it will only help their Tour and ours. I think everybody wins.”
The other tie taking place on Day 1 in Perth will see France face Argentina in Group F. Francisco Cerundolo enjoyed a career-best season in 2022. He climbed to No. 24 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and captured his maiden tour-level crown in Bastad. The Argentine opens his year against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in what will be the first meeting between the pair.
The WTA match pits Alize Cornet against Maria Lourdes Carle. Cornet tasted success in Australia last year, reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, while Argentine Carle is perched at a career-high No. 147 after a season that saw her claim her first WTA main draw victory in Hamburg.
Sydney
Alex de Minaur will look to light up Ken Rosewall Arena and make a fast start to the season on home soil when he takes on Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in Group D. The Australian, who went 47-15 in 2022, leads four-time tour-level titlist Norrie 1-0 in their ATP Head2Head. Australian Zoe Hives plays Katie Swan in the other match on Day 1 of the tie.
“It's a beautiful court, a beautiful place to be. Love being back here at home,” De Minaur said. “I think it's even better to be here in a team environment, team event. We've got a great team. I think we're all just happy to be here.”
The United States will also be in action in Sydney when it takes on the Czech Republic, one of the most formidable teams on the WTA. From 2011-2018, the Czech Republic won the Billie Jean King Cup on six occasions.
The United States also has impressive pedigree in its ranks, boasting World No. 3 Jessica Pegula and World No. 11 Madison Keys. An Australian Open semi-finalist and champion in Adelaide last year, Keys has been consistent on the Australian hard courts. But coming off her best season, World No. 24 Marie Bouzkova remains a threat. The physical Czech can be a tough player to hit through and will provide a test for Keys on Day 1 in Group C.
Taylor Fritz represents his nation as the No. 1 men’s singles player. The 25-year-old, who cracked the Top 10 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time in October, will begin his season against Czech Jiri Lehecka. The 21-year-old emerged as a new star last year, reaching the semi-finals as a qualifier in Rotterdam before he soared to the title match at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.
Brisbane
Italian Lorenzo Musetti made impressive progress in 2022, capturing two tour-level titles. Playing in Brisbane at a career-high No. 23 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the 20-year-old will hope to fly out of the blocks against Brazil’s Felipe Meligeni Alves in Group E. In the opening match of the tie, Beatriz Haddad Maia plays Martina Trevisan. Haddad Maia was one of the breakout stars of the 2022 season, winning two titles and finishing in the Top 15 after starting the year outside the Top 80.
Belinda Bencic will spearhead Switzerland’s hopes on Day 1 when she faces Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. This will be the sixth meeting between Bencic and Putintseva, but their first since 2020. All five of their prior meetings came on hard courts, with Putintseva holding the Head2Head edge, 3-2. Marc-Andrea Huesler, who clinched his first tour-level title in Sofia last season, plays Timofey Skatov in the opening men’s match.
Sydney, Ken Rosewall Arena
United States vs. Czech Republic (Group C)
Taylor Fritz (USA) vs. Jiri Lehecka (CZE), 12 p.m.
Madison Keys (USA) vs. Marie Bouzkova (CZE), to follow
Australia vs. Great Britain (Group D)
Alex de Minaur (AUS) vs. Cameron Norrie (GB), 7 p.m.
Zoe Hives (AUS) vs. Katie Swan (GB), to follow
Perth, RAC Arena
Greece vs. Bulgaria (Group A)
Despina Papamichail (GRE) vs. Isabella Shinikova (BUL), 12 p.m.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), to follow
France vs. Argentina (Group F)
Alizé Cornet (FRA) vs. Maria Carle (ARG), 6 p.m.
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) vs. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG), to follow
Brisbane, Pat Rafter Arena
Italy vs. Brazil (Group E)
Martina Trevisan (ITA) vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA), 1 p.m.
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) vs. Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA), to follow
Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan (Group B)
Belinda Bencic (SWI) vs. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ), 7 p.m.
Marc-Andrea Huesler (SWI) vs. Timofey Skatov (KAZ), to follow