The first tournament of the 2026 tennis season is right around the corner.
The United Cup is a team-based hard court tennis tournament held in Australia – at the RAC Arena in Perth and Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
The tournament, first held in 2022 as a replacement for the ATP Cup, features mixed-gender teams from 18 countries.
The United Cup was first won by the United States. The US team, featuring Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys, defeated Italy 4-0 in the final.
Fritz returned to the tournament this year alongside former US Open champion Coco Gauff.
Coco Gauff reached the Australian Open quarter-finals
Fritz and Gauff began the 2025 United Cup by leading the US to wins against Canada and Croatia.
In the quarter-finals, the pair completed a 3-0 victory against a Chinese team headlined by Zhang Zhizhen and Zhang Shuai.
In the semi-finals, Gauff and Fritz failed to drop a set on the way to a 3-0 victory against Czechia.
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In the final, Fritz and Gauff continued their dominance, defeating Poland 2-0. Gauff beat Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 and Fritz triumphed 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 against Hubert Hurkacz.
The US team only lost one match in the entire tournament: in the group phase, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Fritz in three sets.
Gauff, the highest-ranked player from North America on the WTA Tour, carried her form into the Australian Open, winning her first four rounds against Sofia Kenin, Jodie Burrage, Leylah Fernandez and Belinda Bencic.
The American was defeated in the quarter-finals by Spanish star Paula Badosa, 7-5, 6-4. Madison Keys won the tournament after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
As for Taylor Fritz, he was stunned by Gael Monfils in the third round of the 2025 Australian Open, losing 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4.
Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz will look to defend their United Cup crown in 2026
Gauff and Fritz will return to Australia in 2026 to defend the title they won 12 months ago.
Gauff and Fritz, who won 500 rankings points at the event earlier this year, will play teams from Spain and Argentina in the 2026 group stage.
The Spanish team boasts Jaume Munar and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Argentina will bring Sebastien Baez and Solana Sierra.
Stan Wawrinka, who will retire from his playing career in 2026, is also set to compete at the United Cup, representing Switzerland.
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Wawrinka is also set to compete in the 2026 Montpellier Open after receiving a wildcard earlier this month.
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