Tennis News

Who is competing in the 2026 United Cup?

Who is competing in the 2026 United Cup? In which group will their country be competing and where?

View below the full list of groups, countries and players for the mixed-teams event, which will be played across Perth and Sydney from 2-11 January.

PERTH

Group A

Group C

Group E

SYDNEY

Group B

Group D

Group F

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De Minaur, Zverev, Mboko among stars firing up in Sydney ahead of United Cup

United Cup action in Sydney does not begin until 3 January (2 January in Perth), but many of the biggest tennis stars in the world have been working hard at Sydney Olympic Park.

Alex de Minaur practised with fellow Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic Tuesday with Team Australia’s United Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt watching on. De Minaur has long enjoyed success at the mixed-teams event, where he has defeated Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the past.

Another man he has beaten at the season-opening event is Alexander Zverev, who is also on site and revving up for his 2026 season.

<img alt=”Alexander Zverev practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/27/zverev-united-cup-2026-practice-tuesday.jpg?w=100%25″ />

The two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion led Germany to United Cup glory in 2024 and will hope to do so again this year beginning with his country’s clash on Sunday against the Netherlands.

<img alt=”Victoria Mboko practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/28/mboko-united-cup-2026-practice-tuesday.jpg” />

Victoria Mboko is playing in the United Cup for the first time, leading the way for Canada alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime.

<img alt=”Felix Auger-Aliassime practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/30/auger-aliassime-united-cup-2026-practice-tuesday.jpg” />

Auger-Aliassime ended his 2025 season playing some of the best tennis of his career, competing in the Nitto ATP Finals for the second time. He is at a career-high No. 5 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

<img alt=”Casper Ruud practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/29/ruud-united-cup-2026-practice-tuesday.jpg” />

Casper Ruud has flown the flag for Norway since the inception of the event and will look to make a quick start to his campaign. The 27-year-old’s first match of the year will come Monday against Czechia’s Jakub Mensik.

<img alt=”Hubert Hurkacz practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/31/hurkacz-united-cup-2026-practice-tuesday.jpg” />

Hubert Hurkacz has been waiting since June to step on court for an ATP Tour match after struggling with a knee injury. The Polish former World No. 6 again partners Iga Swiatek at the United Cup after falling short in the championship match in two consecutive editions.

<img alt=”Maya Joint practises Tuesday in Sydney ahead of the United Cup.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/30/09/24/joint-united-cup-2026.jpg” />

Maya Joint will try to help carry home hopes inside Ken Rosewall Arena as Australia’s No. 1 WTA player. Joint trained with Mboko on Tuesday and will open her season Saturday against Norway’s Malene Helgo.

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Kyrgios defeats Sabalenka – but what did 'Battle of the Sexes' achieve?

Aryna Sabalenka loses to Nick Kyrgios in a Battle of the Sexes-style match that lacked the intensity and entertainment promised in the build-up.

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Kyrgios defeats Sabalenka in 'Battle of the Sexes'

Watch the best moments between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios at the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai.

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Carlos Alcaraz's offseason training: Photos of his work on & off court

Will Carlos Alcaraz claim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the third time next season?

The World No. 1 is fresh off a season in which he won a career-high eighth titles and earned 71 match wins according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

The Spaniard has been working hard in the leadup to the 2026 ATP Tour season. Clive Brunskill of Getty Images photographed a day of the 22-year-old’s training in Murcia on 24 December to provide fans a look into Alcaraz’s efforts on and off the court.

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz trains in Murcia in preparation for the 2026 season.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/28/18/04/alcaraz-24-december-training-volley.jpg?w=100%25″ />

Nearly two weeks ago the news broke that Alcaraz had split with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. The 22-year-old has been training under the watchful eye of Samuel Lopez, who formally joined his team ahead of last season. 

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz trains in Murcia in preparation for the 2026 season.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/28/18/05/alcaraz-24-december-training-lopez.jpg” />

Alcaraz is an Australian Open triumph from completing the Career Grand Slam. The six-time major champion has emerged victorious twice at each of the other three Slam tournaments: Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. He is also an eight-time ATP Masters 1000 titlist.

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz trains in Murcia in preparation for the 2026 season.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/28/18/03/alcaraz-24-december-training-lift.jpg” />

Alcaraz is next scheduled to compete in Melbourne at the Australian Open. Earlier this year, he made the quarter-finals at the event before falling to 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic.

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'Point of the match!' – Sabalenka hits 'amazing' winner against Kyrgios

Aryna Sabalenka hits an ‘amazing’ return against Nick Kyrgios at the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai.

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Sabalenka v Kyrgios: The key questions in 'Battle of the Sexes'

BBC Sport looks at the key questions going into the divisive Battle of the Sexes-style match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios on Sunday.

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When Billie Jean beat Bobby – the Battle of the Sexes that defined an era

When Aryna Sabalenka faces Nick Kyrgios, it will be under the banner of the Battle of the Sexes – but the stakes will not be as high as those that faced Billie Jean King 52 years ago.

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Draper to miss 2026 Australian swing due to injury

Jack Draper announced on social media Friday that he will not compete in Australia to begin his 2026 season because of the arm injury he has been recovering from.

“Unfortunately me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year. It’s a really, really tough decision, obviously Australia being a Grand Slam, it’s one of the biggest tournaments in our sport,” Draper said in a video he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “However, I’ve had this injury for a long time. I’m at the very, very end stages of the process and to step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn’t seem like the smart decision right now for me and my tennis.

“I’ve obviously been through a fair amount of setbacks so far. But by far and away this one has been the most difficult, most complex one that I’ve had.”

pic.twitter.com/giFCnLAPVI

— jack draper (@jackdraper0) December 26, 2025

The British lefty has played one tour-level match since Wimbledon, a first-round win at the US Open. Draper then withdrew from the season’s final major and did not compete again in 2025.

The 24-year-old has been battling an arm injury. The No. 10 player in the PIF ATP Rankings tallied a 30-9 record in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells.

“It always seems to manage to make me more resilient, to make me hungrier, to make me just want to become the player I want to become even more,” Draper said of his injury. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing.”

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Draper to miss Australian Open with arm injury

British number one Jack Draper will not play in next month’s Australian Open because of an ongoing arm injury.

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