Swiatek makes season debut; Rybakina in action

Led by a pair of Top 10 players — Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz — Poland raced into last year’s United Cup final against Germany. Swiatek won her singles match, and Hurkacz, on the verge of taking two tiebreaks, held a pair of match points before losing to Alexander Zverev.

In the pivotal match, the Polish pair split sets with Zverev and Laura Siegemund but went down 10-4 in the ultimate tiebreak.

This year, Poland hopes to take the final step.

“Overall, I think, yeah, we’re playing great, so hopefully we’re going to show that on match court,” Swiatek told reporters ahead of Monday’s opener against Norway.

“I think our last years’ experiences were great, and I have great memories. This tournament is different. It brings more excitement than normal tournaments we play during the year. I hope we’re going to repeat these nice emotions and have a good experience.”

Judging by the photos taken at the team’s meeting with the media Friday, that looks like a lock. There were antic gestures across the board. Poland, last year’s top seed, is No.2 this year.

United Cup: Scores | Draws | Order of Play

“I really enjoy the team atmosphere, to represent the country, and especially with such amazing guys here” Hurkacz said. “Of course Iga, being the best, it’s always fantastic. Makes it more fun.”

And this year, Poland might have a not-so-secret weapon: Jan Zielinski.

He’s played only two ATP Tour-level career singles matches, but the 28-year-old is a crack doubles player, currently ranked No.25. Last year he went 31-25 and, with partner Hugo Nys, won the title in Acapulco and reached the final in Barcelona.

But when it comes to mixed doubles, Zielinski takes it to another level. He and partner Hsieh Su-wei won two of the four major titles last year, in Melbourne and at Wimbledon. He’s been spotted in Sydney practicing with Swiatek. Might Zielinski be the wild card that puts Poland over the top?

“Well,” said Swiatek, not giving anything away, “I think we’re considering every option. We are all great players. Jan obviously has won Grand Slams in mixed doubles. I guess we’ll see tactically what’s going to fit better against the opponents that we’re going to face.”

Zielinski was asked by a reporter what makes him such a good doubles player.

“You would have to ask that question to my opponents,” he said, modestly. “I’m just going out there and play tennis. I’m trying my best in the practice court to go out there and show my strengths and hide my weaknesses to my best capabilities. I mean … ”

“No weaknesses, come on,” Swiatek said, interjecting.

Zielinski responded, “I’m hiding them. You don’t see them, you see?”

We’ll have to wait until the night match in Sydney to see who Poland rolls out there with Swiatek in what could be the deciding match.

And with Brisbane featuring eight first-round matches, it’s a full tennis card on Monday. Here’s a look at everything going on Down Under.

Sydney

Group F: Great Britain vs. Argentina

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

[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) vs. [17] Nadia Podoroska (ARG)
[6] Billy Harris (GBR) vs. [17] Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)
[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) / Charles Broom (GBR) vs. [17] Nadia Podoroska (ARG) / T. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)

Great Britain steps into its first match with Boulter very much in the spotlight. For starters, she was just engaged to Australia’s Alex de Minaur — a rare pairing of Top 25 players.

“It’s definitely something that we put a little bit of thought into,” Boulter said to reporters. “Obviously, some incredible news from our side, but I think we kind of wanted it to die down a little bit before matches started. That was very important to me because I’m someone that likes to stay in my own bubble and keep myself to myself.

“I wanted to start the year well and not have any distractions.”

Boulter, coming off her best season, is up to No.24 in the PIF WTA rankings. She took titles in San Diego and Nottingham and reached the final in Hong Kong. Boulter enjoys the unique nature of this tournament, as evidenced by last year’s United Cup win over World No.5 Jessica Pegula.

“I feel like I thrive in these situations,” Boulter said. “I had some really good wins, some of my best actually, here last year. I feel like starting the year this way, it speeds me into the year. I just enjoy bouncing off other people’s energy.”

Boulter and Podoroska have never played.

Billy Harris was a replacement for No.15 Jack Draper, but there’s cause for optimism for the No.125-ranked player. Harris, 29, had the best season of his career, nearly breaking into the Top 100. He won his only match against Etcheverry last year on the grass at Queen’s Club.

The No.17-seeded Argentines pulled out a Group F thriller Saturday night in Sydney. Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Maria Lourdes Carle upset Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez 6-2, 6-4 in mixed doubles to give Argentina a 2-1 win over host nation Australia.

Group B: Poland vs. Norway

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

[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs. [15] Malene Helgo (NOR)
[2] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. [15] Casper Ruud (NOR)
[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) / Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. [15] Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) / Casper Ruud (NOR)

At most tournaments, the top-seeded players ease into the draw, facing lower-ranked players until the later stages.

Not at the United Cup.

In his first match of the new calendar, Hurkacz faces the No.6-ranked Ruud.

“I think it’s a great preparation to play against the best guys,” Hurkacz said. “Ultimately, that’s why you play tennis, to play against those guys and to win matches against those guys. So it’s a good test of what you have done.”

This one’s interesting because Ruud has a 2-1 head-to-head advantage but lost the only match they played on a hard surface; Hurkacz has one of the best service games in tennis.

Swiatek’s No.2 ranking is 402 spots higher than Helgo’s.

Norway lost its opening tie 2-1 to the Czech Republic when Muchova and Machac took the mixed match in straight sets.

Perth

Group C: Greece vs. Kazakhstan

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

[3] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. [9] Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ)
[3] Maria Sakkari (GRE) vs. [9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
[3] Maria Sakkari (GRE) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. [9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) / Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ)

By almost any standard, Rybakina had a stellar 2024 season.

She won three tournaments, reached the finals in WTA Tour 1000s in Doha and Miami and finished No.6 at year’s end. She was 42-11, good for a winning percentage of .792.

But the 2022 Wimbledon champion wants more. While she reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the semifinals at Wimbledon, she lost in the second round of the two other majors. She battled injury and illness for much of the year and took two months off before the WTA Finals in Riyadh

Rybakina comes into the United Cup with a new coach, Goran Ivanisevic — and a driver’s license to go with her Porsche Cayenne.

What’s the goal going forward?

“Definitely to play the full season,” Rybakina said. “I think that’s the most important for me to stay healthy, to play from beginning until the end. I’m focusing on the Grand Slams and try to get some big titles.”

Kazakhstan and Greece are both 1-0, needing mixed doubles to defeat Spain in Group C. Rybakina has won three of four matches against Sakkari, while Tsitsipas and Shevchenko have never played.

Group E: China vs. Germany

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

[5] Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) vs. [11] Alexander Zverev (GER)
[5] Gao Xinyu (CHN) vs. [11] Laura Siegemund (GER)
[5] Gao Xinyu (CHN) / Bai Yan (CHN) vs. [11] Laura Siegemund (GER) / Alexander Zverev (GER)

When Olympic gold singles medalist Zheng Qinwen pulled out of the United Cup, things looked bleak for China.

Before last year, Gao Xinyu had never won a WTA Tour main-draw match nor did she play the qualifying round at a Grand Slam. And now she would be the next woman up for China — and face World No.17 Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Somehow, over the course of a 3-hour, 22-minute match — the longest WTA match ever at this event — Gao found a way to win in RAC Arena.

“I have no idea what’s going on right now,” she said immediately after the match. “My brain was empty and my whole body was cramping.”

Later, after China’s 3-0 win over Brazil had begun to sink in, team captain Wu Di put it in perspective.

“Qinwen didn’t come,” he said, “[but] we had the girls player can play in the singles and the mixed.”

With both teams sitting at 1-0, Gao faces the 36-year-old Siegemund, whom she has never played. In Germany’s 3-0 win over Brazil on Sunday, Siegemund defeated Haddad Maia in three sets.

Gao, she said, will be a handful.

“I think she played a great first match, very physical match,” Siegemund said. “She’s definitely someone who can hang into long matches. I think I have to try to dominate and try not to let her play her game.”

Meanwhile, Zverev handled Thiago Monteiro in straights. Zverev defeated Zhang in their only previous meeting, the 2024 Hamburg quarterfinals.

“Big player, big game, very fast pace,” Zverev said of Zheng. “He’s still somebody that is maybe a late bloomer in a way, and he’s still improving each year, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

More action on the WTA Tour

Brisbane International

Day 2 of this WTA Tour 500 event features some compelling matchups. Three-time major finalist Ons Jabeur, now 30, returns after a four-month absence, following knee and shoulder injuries. Zheng Saisai won their only previous match but that was more than seven years ago.

With a first-round win, sisters Veronika and Polina Kudermetova would be only one more victory away from a Round of 16 meeting.

[Q] Priscilla Hon (AUS) vs [WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS)
Ons Jabeur (TUN) vs Zheng Saisai (CHN)
Veronika Kudermetova vs Peyton Stearns (USA)
Wang Xinyu (CHN) vs [Q] Polina Kudermetova
Anastasia Potapova vs [Q] Anna Bogdan (ROU)
Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) vs Wang Yafan (CHN)
[Q] Anca Todoni (ROU) vs Cristina Bucsa (ESP)
Yuan Yue (CHN) vs Arantxa Rus (NED)

Auckland ASB Classic

Four seeded players in Day 1 action, including local favorite Lulu Sun. Five qualifiers play their third match in as many days.

[Q] Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA) vs [5] Clara Tauson (DEN)
[4] Lulu Sun (NZL) vs Rebecca Marino (CAN)
[7] Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs [Q] Lina Glushko (ISR)
Ann Li (USA) vs Sloane Stephens (USA)
[8] Katie Volynets (USA) vs Erika Andreeva
Jule Niemeier (GER) vs [Q] Nao Hibino (JPN)
Bernard Pera (USA) vs [Q] Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (AND)
[Q] Leyre Romero Gormaz (ESP) vs Julia Grabher (AUT)