The 2026 tennis season gets under way on Friday with the United Cup \u2013 a team event at which our Andy Schooler has made a profit from in all three previous editions.<\/p>\n
United CupSydney & Perth, Australia (outdoor hard)<\/p>\n
Now in its fourth year, the United Cup \u2013 a mixed team event \u2013 kicks off the 2026 tennis season on Friday. That\u2019s January 2 for those lost in the fog.<\/p>\n
Before we consider the likely winners, let\u2019s take a look at the format.<\/p>\n
Eighteen teams have been split into six groups of three across two cities (Perth and Sydney). The group winners will progress to the knockout stage, alongside the runner-up with the best record at each venue.<\/p>\n
The semis and final will take place in Sydney which means the Perth quarter-final winners have two days to transfer across Australia and bed in at their new surroundings. In short, those playing in Sydney have a slight advantage.<\/p>\n
Both venues are technically outdoor hardcourts although the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney does have a canopy roof, while the RAC Arena in Perth has a retractable roof to be used in the event of inclement weather.<\/p>\n
Each tie is made up of three rubbers \u2013 men\u2019s and women\u2019s singles (the order varies from tie-to-tie) before a potentially decisive mixed doubles.<\/p>\n
While a strong doubles pairing gives a team plenty of winning options, the big hitters will look to win ties in the singles.<\/p>\n
Those with one star player may well look to utilise that person in both singles and doubles \u2013 hopefully they can carry the team virtually single-handedly.<\/p>\n
However, this is the opening week of a long season so not everyone will be wanting to play five singles and five doubles in little over a week.<\/p>\n
With the basics covered, let\u2019s move onto those teams\u2026<\/p>\n
GROUP A (Perth)<\/p>\n
USA (5\/2)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Taylor Fritz (6), Mackenzie McDonald (112), Christian Harrison (15*)
Women \u2013 Coco Gauff (3), Varvara Lepchenko (147), Nicole Melichar-Martinez (18*)<\/p>\n
The defending champions are understandable favourites given both of their singles players are ranked in the top six. The US also have two top-20 doubles players, if they are required. History shows the Americans take this seriously; they also won the inaugural event (under a slightly different format) in 2023.<\/p>\n
Spain (40\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Jaume Munar (36), Carlos Taberner (102), Inigo Cervantes (102*)
Women \u2013 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (41), Andrea Lazaro Garcia (183), Yvonne Cavelle-Reimers (104*)<\/p>\n
Both Munar and Bouzas Maneiro enjoyed some good results on hardcourts in 2025 but both have tough matches in store against the USA. With doubles options not looking particularly great, Spain are probably just hoping to qualify as one of the best runners-up.<\/p>\n
Argentina (100\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Sebastian Baez (45), Marco Trungelliti (129), Guido Andreozzi (32*)
Women \u2013 Solana Sierra (66), Maria Lourdes Carle (152), Nicole Fossa Huergo (105*)<\/p>\n
I seem to say the same thing about Argentina whenever writing a team-event preview but it still rings true \u2013 they\u2019d prefer to be playing on clay. Instead, it looks set to be an uphill battle for Baez and Sierra. The latter did enjoy something of a breakthrough last season but her experience of hardcourts is limited at this level. Hard to see them making an impact.<\/p>\n
GROUP B (Sydney)<\/p>\n
Canada (8\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Felix Auger-Aliassime (5), Alexis Galarneau (206), Cleeve Harper (94*)
Women \u2013 Victoria Mboko (18), Kayla Cross (199 & 150*), Ariana Arseneault (196*)<\/p>\n
Both singles players enjoyed the second half of 2025 and if both hit the ground running Down Under, Canada will have a decent chance. Auger-Aliassime won 24 of his last 31 matches of 2025, with five of those losses coming against either Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. Mboko claimed a stunning win in Montreal. Injury issues then struck but she ended the year with another title in Hong Kong. Favourites to win this group, no doubt.<\/p>\n
Belgium (66\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Zizou Bergs (43), Kimmer Coppejans (234), Sander Gille (49*)
Women \u2013 Elise Mertens (20 & 5*), Greet Minnen (120), Lara Salden (611*)<\/p>\n
Belgium are certainly second favourites in this group but a case can be made for the upset to be landed. Bergs had some good results in 2025, albeit he was only 2-7 against the top 20. Mertens is top 20 in both formats and looks set for double duty. If she performs well, the Belgians could punch above their weight again.<\/p>\n
China (100\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Zhizhen Zhang (415), Rigele Te (646), Aoran Wang (250*)
Women \u2013 Zhu Lin (168), Xiaodi You (286)<\/p>\n
Without their best players, China look out of their depth here. Zhang is at least a better player than his current ranking suggests \u2013 he missed large chunks of 2025 through injury and has won just one match since March. Hard to see where wins are coming from and look poised for an early exit.<\/p>\n
GROUP C (Perth)<\/p>\n
Italy (4\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Flavio Cobolli (22), Andrea Pellegrino (141), Andrea Vavassori (14*)
Women \u2013 Jasmine Paolini (8 & 3=*), Nuria Brancaccio (167), Sara Errani (3=*)<\/p>\n
Italy have a massive advantage in terms of their doubles team \u2013 Vavassori and Errani have won three Grand Slam mixed titles as a pair in the past two years. They will be hard to stop in any live doubles rubber. Italy are likely to take it that far against most opponents. Paolini is a top-10 star who has often performed at her best in team formats and while both Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti are absent, Cobolli is no mug and certainly capable of winning rubbers in this group.<\/p>\n
France (66\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Arthur Rinderknech (29), Geoffrey Blancaneaux (255), Edouard Roger-Vasselin (17*)
Women \u2013 Lois Boisson (36), Leolia Jeanjean (103), Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (121)<\/p>\n
Rinderknech impressed during the second half of last season, notably reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters, but he\u2019ll need to be at his best if France are to stand any chance. Boisson is really a claycourter \u2013 her ranking is only so high due to her stunning semi-final run at Roland Garros. It\u2019s hard to see the French making the latter stages of this tournament.<\/p>\n
Switzerland (33\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Stan Wawrinka (157), Jakub Paul (81*), Luca Castelnuovo (316*)
Women \u2013 Belinda Bencic (11), Naima Karamoko (158*)<\/p>\n
Former Davis Cup champion Wawrinka enters his final season on tour looking to roll back the years and help Switzerland to another prize, but it looks unlikely. Bencic does offer serious quality of the women\u2019s side so if \u2018Stan the Man\u2019 can find his best, then the Swiss cannot be written off. However, doubles options don\u2019t look great.<\/p>\n
GROUP D (Sydney)<\/p>\n
Australia (20\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Alex de Minaur (7), Jason Kubler (196), John-Patrick Smith (45*)
Women \u2013 Maya Joint (32 & 54*), Maddison Inglis (164), Storm Hunter (33*)<\/p>\n
The hosts have a poor record in this tournament, only once making it out of the group stage in three attempts, and never reaching the final. De Minaur has to perform for them to have a chance this time and, to be fair, he usually starts his season well on home soil. The support acts are the issue. Joint is a rising star on the WTA Tour but is likely to find it hard, at least during the business end of the event \u2013 if the Aussies make it that far.<\/p>\n
Czechia (20\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Jakub Mensik (19), Dalibor Svrcina (96), Adam Pavlasek (53*)
Women \u2013 Barbora Krejcikova (65), Linda Fruhvirtova (134), Miriam Skoch (65*)<\/p>\n
Mensik won at Masters 1000 level last season and his serve will be a weapon if the courts play on the fast side \u2013 they usually do. Former Wimbledon champion Krejcikova is better than her ranking and if her injury problems are fully behind her, she will be confident of notching some wins here. Krejcikova is also a former world number one in doubles, so don\u2019t write the Czechs off.<\/p>\n
Norway (80\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Casper Ruud (12), Viktor Durasovic (244)
Women \u2013 Astrid Brune Olsen (805 & 430*), Malene Helgo (529 & 351*), Ulrikke Eikeri (38*)<\/p>\n
Not for the first time, Ruud is carrying the Norwegian team \u2013 and it\u2019s also fair to say he\u2019s slipped back a bit in recent times. He does at least have a top-40 doubles player, Eikeri, to help out now but it\u2019s hard to envisage Norway doing much, especially given the other teams in Group D. They\u2019ve won just one of seven previous ties in this competition, going 7-18 in the individual rubbers. Another early exit beckons.<\/p>\n
GROUP E (Perth)<\/p>\n
Great Britain (16\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Billy Harris (126), Neal Skupski (9*)
Women \u2013 Emma Raducanu (29), Katie Swan (276), Olivia Nicholls (26*)<\/p>\n
Losing Jack Draper has severely damaged GB\u2019s United Cup hopes. Instead of having the highest-ranked male singles player in the group, they now have the lowest. Still, all hope is not lost. Raducanu bounced back in 2025 and is back inside the top 30, while Skupski and Nicholls are both strong doubles specialists on their respective tours. However, there\u2019s little room for error now and Draper\u2019s absence is likely to prove costly at some point.<\/p>\n
Greece (20\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Stefanos Tsitsipas (34), Stefanos Sakellaridis (282), Petros Tsitsipas (224*)
Women \u2013 Maria Sakkari (52), Despina Papamichail (162), Sapfo Sakellaridi (141*)<\/p>\n
Both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Sakkari are not the players they once were but maybe a close-season reset has been just what the doctor ordered. We know both have the talent to compete in a tournament of this nature so the Greeks will be an intriguing watch in the group stage. If both deliver the performance they will be aiming for, Greece could well go deep.<\/p>\n
Japan (33\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Shintaro Mochizuki (100), Yasutaka Uchiyama (311)
Women \u2013 Naomi Osaka (16), Nao Hibino (174)<\/p>\n
Osaka is the star turn on this team but it doesn\u2019t have much else. Indeed, there are only four players named. It\u2019s hard to see how Japan manage to win two of three rubbers in a tie. Even if they do it once, they aren\u2019t going to be able to keep pulling off upsets.<\/p>\n
GROUP F (Sydney)<\/p>\n
Germany (11\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Alex Zverev (3), Patrick Zahraj (268), Kevin Krawietz (11=*)
Women \u2013 Eva Lys (40), Laura Siegemund (46 & 24*), Mina Hodzic (442)<\/p>\n
Zverev helped Germany win this event two years, winning eight of 10 rubbers. Notably, he played singles and doubles then, going 3-0 alongside Siegemund, but this year the presence of doubles expert Krawietz means he\u2019ll likely focus on singles \u2013 he\u2019s the top-ranked male in the tournament. Lys looks vulnerable in women\u2019s singles but Krawietz and Siegemund may prove to be a crucial doubles team in a tricky group.<\/p>\n
Poland (9\/2)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Hubert Hurkacz (73), Daniel Michalski (250), Jan Zielinski (34*)
Women \u2013 Iga Swiatek (2), Katarzyna Kawa (139), Katarzyna Piter (58*)<\/p>\n
Poland have title potential \u2013 if Hurkacz fires. In Swiatek, the Poles have the top-ranked singles player in the field and she looks a lock for a point in most ties. The problem is Hurkacz hasn\u2019t played since June due to injury so it\u2019s hard to know what to expect from him, although he is a former top-10 star with one of the best serves in the game. A good level will likely be required though given he\u2019s due to face two top-25 players in this group. Doubles could be crucial \u2013 and Swiatek may well be required in that format too.<\/p>\n
Netherlands (40\/1)<\/p>\n
Men \u2013 Tallon Griekspoor (25), Guy Den Ouden (160), David Pel (29*)
Women \u2013 Suzan Lamens (89), Eva Vedder (226), Demi Schuurs (21*)<\/p>\n
While I wouldn\u2019t completely write off the Dutch, they face big task in this group. There\u2019s an obvious weakness in the women\u2019s singles slot which means Lamens is either going to have to play well above herself or that everything else has to go right. Pel and Schuurs have potential as a double pairing and Griekspoor\u2019s best is capable of winning rubbers against most. Hard to see it happening often enough this week though.<\/p>\n
VERDICT<\/p>\n
Before reaching a decision on who to back, we need to consider the knockout stage draw bracket, which has already been set as follows:<\/p>\n
Winner A v Perth RU
Winner F v Winner D<\/p>\n
Winner C v Winner E
Sydney RU v Winner B<\/p>\n
I\u2019d certainly envisage USA and Italy winning their groups which would put them on opposite sides of the draw \u2013 and on course for a potential final.<\/p>\n
I would not be surprised were those two to face off in the title match but if they did meet, I\u2019d fancy the Americans\u2019 singles strength to shine through and deny Italy the chance to claim victory with their strong doubles team.<\/p>\n
Coco Gauff would be expect to beat Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz would certainly start favourite against Flavio Cobolli; having two singles players both in the world\u2019s top six will be the envy of all teams.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not hard to see the USA winning every singles rubber \u2013 and therefore the title \u2013 but if there is a slip-up (Fritz lost once last year) Gauff is an excellent doubles player.<\/p>\n
She teamed up with Fritz to good effect at last year\u2019s event, winning both rubbers they played as a doubles team.<\/p>\n
USA have a very winnable group and if they do top it, they\u2019d face a runner-up in the last eight. That looks a smooth path to the semis from where they have the quality to win.<\/p>\n
Iga Swiatek\u2019s Poland are also highly fancied by the layers but the fact that Hubert Hurkacz hasn\u2019t played since June has to be a concern. With Germany in their group, it\u2019s far from certain they will even make the knockout stage \u2013 they look too short at around 4\/1.<\/p>\n
Czechia have potential in mid-market at 20s but, like Greece, they will need their inconsistent stars to shine from the get-go and there\u2019s definitely plenty of risk in backing them.<\/p>\n
Canada warrant respect, although we can\u2019t be sure that Victoria Mboko\u2019s promise to last season will continue.<\/p>\n
They are well fancied but the price gap between them and group rivals BELGIUM is too big.<\/p>\n
Elise Mertens is a player who can win rubbers in both singles and doubles, while if Zizou Bergs brings his A-game, then Belgium could cause an upset or two.<\/p>\n
Preference would be to back them to win the group, although at time of writing, such markets were sadly not available.<\/p>\n
Instead, let\u2019s have a small each-way play on the Belgians at 66\/1.<\/p>\n
If they do top Group B, they will face a runner-up in the quarter-finals with Italy looking their most likely semi-final foes.<\/p>\n
Posted at 15:20 GMT on 30\/12\/25<\/p>\n
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