United Cup

Last updated

United Cup
Tennisball current event.svg 2024 United Cup
United Cup logo.jpg
Tournament information
FoundedDecember 2022
Editions2
Location Brisbane, Perth, Sydney
Australia
Surface Hard / outdoors
Draw18 teams
Prize moneyUS$10,000,000 (2024)
Current championFlag of Germany.svg  Germany
Website UnitedCup.com

The United Cup is an international hard court tennis competition featuring mixed-gender teams from 18 countries. The first event was held in December 2022 through January 2023. [1] The event is played across multiple Australian cities over 11 days in the leadup to the Australian Open. It is also the first mixed-gender team event to offer both ATP rankings and WTA rankings points to its players, with a maximum 500 points for the winners. [2]

Contents

History

On 7 August 2022, Tennis Australia announced that the ATP Cup, which was an international outdoor hard court men's team competition played in the Australian summer, would be shut down and replaced by a mixed-gender event from 2023. [3] [4] Thus, the first edition of the United Cup directly replaced the ATP Cup (2020–2022) on the ATP Tour calendar.

Tournament

Format

The first week of the international team competition features a group phase, with six groups of three countries, which play each other in a round robin format. One group in each city plays all its ties in the morning sessions while the other plays in the evening sessions.

In the 2023 edition, the group winners in each city play off in a city final for one of three semifinal spots. This city final is played in one day across a morning and an evening session. Of the three losing teams, one with the best record up to that point becomes the fourth semifinalist. For the 2024 edition, the six group winners along with the two best runners-up of each host city advanced to the quarterfinals.

There is a travel day allocated before the semifinals and final take place in Sydney.

In the 2023 edition, the final took place on one day. In case the tie's winner is decided after the singles matches, the mixed doubles match would not be played.

In the 2023 edition, each tie consisted of five matches, with two men's singles matches, two women's singles matches, and a mixed doubles match. For the 2024 edition, each tie consists of three matches (men's singles, women's singles and mixed doubles).

In the 2023 edition, each tie was split into two sessions played in different days, with two matches in the first day and three matches in the second day- In the 2024 edition, the three matches are held in the same day.

Qualification

18 countries qualify as follows:

In exchange for being the host nation, Australia is guaranteed one of the spots reserved for teams with the best combined ranking if it fails to qualify on its own. [1]

In the 2023 edition, each player had three singles specialists and a doubles specialist for each gender. In the 2024 edition, each player has two singles specialists and a doubles specialist for each gender.

Venues

ImageNameOpenedCapacityLocationEventsMap
Tennyson Tennis Centre's Pat Rafter Arena.jpg Pat Rafter Arena 20095,500 Brisbane 2023
RAC Arena, October 2018.jpg RAC Arena 201215,500 Perth 2023–present
Sydney International Tennis WTA Premier (46190445154).jpg Ken Rosewall Arena 199910,500 Sydney 2023–present

Finals

YearChampionRunner-upScore
2023 Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4–0
2024 Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 2–1

Results by nation

Country 2023 2024 Overall
RndW–LRndW–LAppW–L
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina RR0–210–2
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia RR1–1SF2–223–3
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium RR0–210–2
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil RR1–1RR0–221–3
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria RR1–111–1
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada RR1–111–1
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile RR1–111–1
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China QF1–211–2
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia HF2–1RR1–123–2
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic RR1–1RR0–221–3
Flag of France.svg  France RR1–1SF3–124–2
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany RR0–2W4–124–3
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain HF2–1RR1–123–2
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece SF3–1QF1–224–3
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy F3–2RR0–223–4
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan RR0–210–2
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands RR1–111–1
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway RR0–2QF1–221–4
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland SF3–1F4–127–2
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia QF2–112–1
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain RR0–2RR1–121–3
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland RR1–111–1
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States W5–0RR1–126–1

See also

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Germany defeated Poland 2–1 in the tennis final to win the 2024 United Cup. Germany won the title after Alexander Zverev saved two match points in his singles tie against Hubert Hurkacz. All five of Germany's matches were decided by the final mixed doubles match, with Zverev playing singles and doubles in all the ties. The United States was the defending champions, but was eliminated in the group stage.

References

  1. 1 2 "United Cup Explained". United Cup. Tennis Australia Limited. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  2. "Mixed-team United Cup to open 2023 season". www.wtatennis.com. October 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  3. "ATP Cup axed as Hopman Cup-like event to return to Perth". The West Australian. September 7, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  4. "New $15m mixed-sex event in Australia to kick off 2023 season". Reuters. October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.