Swiatek and Muchova in decisive battle; U.S. in quarters

As always, the new year presents the opportunity for a fresh start. And if one of your resolutions is to spend more time focused on tennis — as, of course, it should be — we have terrific news. This rare Wednesday off from work (for some of us) coincides with an absolutely loaded card from Down Under.

It’s the last day of United Cup group play in Sydney, but the winner-take-all round  comes early for Poland and Czech Republic. Two unbeaten teams collide to determine one of two quarterfinalists, although the losing team could advance as well.

United Cup: Scores | Draws | Order of Play

And how about this for drama? When Great Britain squares off against host nation Australia, all three teams from Group F (including Argentina) are in contention for a spot in the quarters.

Meanwhile in Perth, two luminous quarterfinal matches are on display. Unbeaten   Germany and Kazakhstan meet in the first one and top seed Team USA takes on surprising China.

In Brisbane, Top 10 players Emma Navarro and Daria Kasatkina, take the court for the first time this season. Auckland features past Australian Open champions Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin.

So Happy New Year — and hunker down, tennis aficionados.

Sydney

Group B: Poland (1-0) vs. Czech Republic (1-0)

Start time: (10:30 a.m. local, 6:30 p.m. ET)

[2] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs [8] Tomas Machac (CZE)
[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE)
[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) / Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE) / Tomas Machac (CZE)

After the United States, Poland features the next-best collective singles tandem in No.2 Swiatek and No.16 Hurkacz. That’s why they’re the No.2 seeds and reached the finals last year.

But the Czech Republic, which boasts a long run of success on the women’s side, has a solid lineup as well — Muchova and Machac, ranked No.22 and No.25, respectively.

The Swiatek-Muchova showdown is a rematch of the 2023 French Open final. You would be hard-pressed to find two more dashing, athletic players. All three times they’ve played that match has gone the three-set distance, with Swiatek winning two — including that memorable Roland Garros final.

“It’s going to be very tough battle,” Muchova told reporters of the two singles matches. “They’re one of the best players for both of us. I think it’s actually very positive to play at the start of the season such great matches, especially for us, before Melbourne kicks in.”

Swiatek showed some doubles skills when she and Jan Zielinski clinched Poland’s 2-1 win over Norway. The final score was a manic 6-3, 0-6, 10-8.

“Mixed doubles is always a fun game for me,” Swiatek said. “So I’m happy that I can play without any expectations, just focusing on really enjoying tennis and trying to return some men’s serve.

“I’m excited for our match with Czech Republic because with Karolina we always have tight battles. I’ll try to prepare tactically, and I’ll be ready.”

Hurkacz won the only previous match against Machac in last year’s Marseille quarterfinals.

Group F: Great Britain (1-0) vs. Australia (0-1)

Start time: (5:30 p.m. local, 1:30 a.m. ET)

[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) vs [12] Olivia Gadecki (AUS)
[6] Billy Harris (GBR) vs [12] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) / Charles Broom (GBR) vs [12] Ellen Perez (AUS) / Matthew Ebden (AUS)

It’s probably feeling like Groundhog Day for the Aussies — in a good way.

Exactly one year ago, they stepped onto the RAC Arena court with a 0-1 record needing something of a miracle to advance — and they got it. De Minaur won his singles match over Taylor Fritz and Storm Hunter and Ebden upended the Americans in straight sets.

That produced a three-way tie with Team USA and Great Britain. All three teams went 3-3 in matches. But Australia took the tiebreak — percentage of sets won by the narrowest of margins:

Australia 7-6 (54 percent), USA 7-7, (50 percent) Great Britain 7-8, (47 percent).

And today, the quarterfinals remain a possibility for all three teams in Group F. After losing to Argentina on Day 2, Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt said preparation was the first order of business.

“Recover first and they then start preparing for the next match against Great Britain and see what happens,” Hewitt said. “No matter what happens, it’s great preparation for these guys going into the Australian Open. That’s really important for these guys playing in front of a big crowd again, which is going to be very similar to what they’ll get down in Melbourne.”

Perth quarterfinals

Group C winner Kazakhstan (2-0) vs. Group E winner Germany (2-0)

Start time: (10 a.m. local, 9 p.m. ET)

[9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs [11] Laura Siegemund (GER)
[9] Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) vs [11] Alexander Zverev (GER)
[9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) / Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) vs [11] Laura Siegemund (GER) / Alexander Zverev (GER)

This one may well go down to mixed doubles.

The two singles matches offer similar contrasts, with the No.2-ranked Zverev facing No.78 Shevchenko and No.6 Rybakina opposite No.80 Siegemund.

Zverev and Rybakina, not surprisingly, are both 3-0. Shevchenko and Siegemund are 2-1.

Germany’s a little banged up — Zverev has a sore shoulder and Siegemund was wearing a strap on her leg when they paired to beat China 2-1. It came down to a second-set tiebreak against the Zhangs (Zhizhen and Shuai) with a final of 6-2, 7-6 (3).

While Zverev and Shevchenko have never faced each other, Rybakina and Siegemund have played six times, with Rybakina winning five.

“We’ve played a couple times,” Siegemund allowed coyly. “Obviously she is super dangerous for me. But I think I just have to put zero pressure on myself. That’s not a point we can count on.

“But I’ve shown many times that I can hurt the best players. I’ve hurt her also already. I know her. Let’s see.”

Sure enough, the past two matches went three sets.

If it comes down to doubles, advantage Germany.

Last year, the team of Zverev and Siegemund won their last three mixed doubles matches, against Greece, Australia and Poland, to take the United Cup title.

Group A winner USA (2-0) vs. Group E runner-up China (1-1)

Start time: (5 p.m. local, 4 p.m. ET)

[1] Coco Gauff (USA) vs [5] Gao Xinyu (CHN)
[1] Taylor Fritz (USA) vs [5] Zhang Zhizhen (CHN)
[1] Coco Gauff (USA) / Taylor Fritz (USA) vs [5] Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) / Sun Fajing (CHN)

When Olympic singles gold medalist Zheng Qinwen withdrew, few thought China could advance to the quarterfinals. After all, her replacement was Gao, ranked No.175, a 28-year-old who won her first WTA Tour-level match in 2024.

Now, after stunning three-set wins over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Laura Siegemund, Gao is an unfathomable 2-0. Now all she has to do is beat the No.3-ranked player in the world.

Gauff has never played Gao, but she’s gotten an eyeful in Perth.

“I watched a couple of her matches, and she’s having an incredible week, obviously,” Gauff told reporters. “I expect her to play loose. She has nothing to lose. Yeah, I feel I’m playing in good form too, so it’s going to be a fun one.”

There’s some intrigue with the men’s match, too. Fritz and Zhang have met once before, in the rRound of 16 at the 2023 ATP Masters in Madrid. Zhang saved three match points and won by the rollicking score of 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8).

“I remember it was such a just smooth-feeling match,” Fritz said. “Like up a set and a break, I was holding really easily, and then he broke me once and it just turned into a battle.

“It’s going to be tight. He’s a good player. Very good server. He’s going to be tough to break.”

Zhang, the highest-ranked man in China’s history, lost his Monday match to Germany’s Alexander Zverev but knew advancing was still possible if Gao played well.

“When [Gao] won the first set, we were quite sure we already qualify, very happy,” Zhang said. “I didn’t expect that from [her] two matches. Too good.”

More WTA action

Brisbane International

Day Four dawns in Brisbane with the No.2 and No.3 seeds — Emma Navarro and Daria Kasatkina — opening their 2025 seasons. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka is already through to the Round of 16.

But with surprising exits by No.4 Paula Badosa, No.5 Diana Shnaider, No.6 Anna Kalinskaya and No.7 Jelena Ostapenko, there’s suddenly some room for the survivors to maneuver.

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, 35, takes on rising 18-year-old Australian wild card Maya Joint.

[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) vs [2] Emma Navarro (USA)
[10] Victoria Azarenka vs [WC] Maya Joint (AUS)
Peyton Stearns (USA) vs [3] Daria Kasatkina
Yuan Yue (CHN) vs [9] Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
[12] Linda Noskova (CZE) vs [Q] Anca Todoni (ROU)
[13] Liudmila Samsonova vs [Q] Polina Kudermetova
[16] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) vs Anastasia Potapova
Suzan Lamens (NED) vs [11] Magdalena Frech (POL)

Auckland ASB Classic

Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin, winners of three of the past six Australian Opens, headline the action on Day 3. The No.7 seed Osaka takes on Julia Grabher, while Kenin faces No.5 Clara Tauson.

No.2 seed Elise Mertens (right ankle) and No.6 Emma Raducanu (lower back injury) have withdrawn.

Rebecca Marino (CAN) vs Bernarda Pera (USA)
[7] Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs Julia Grabher (AUT)
Sofia Kenin (USA) vs [5] Clara Tauson (DEN)
[8] Katie Volynets (USA) vs Ann Li (USA)