In a relationship and mixed doubles partners at Wimbledon this year, Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter never imagined they would be competing against one another in an officially-sanctioned match.
But that’s precisely what could happen at United Cup 2024, given their countries have been drawn in the same group.
De Minaur’s Australia and Boulter’s Great Britain have landed in a terrific Group C in Perth, also featuring defending champions United States.
It means De Minaur could face his girlfriend across the net in mixed doubles when Australia and Great Britain clash at RAC Arena.
TICKETS: Australia v Great Britain - Friday 28 December
“At the moment we're currently not on talking terms. We're enemies, we don't want to give each other an inch, or any advice,” De Minaur joked in an interview with ATP Tennis Radio.
"But it should be fun. It's going to be an incredible experience. One that I did not think was ever going to happen. So it's going to be great.
"The only thing is: I'm going to feel pretty bad for Katie and GB when they lose to Oz."
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UnitedCup.com relayed these comments to Boulter, who immediately laughed and said she had already heard the interview.
“Actually, he texted me pretty much straight after that interview, and he was like, ‘I hope you know it's gonna go down’. And I was like, ‘I don't know what you're talking about’,” she revealed.
“I heard it, because I got tagged in it somewhere (laughter). And I was like, ‘oh it's going be like that, then? OK, it's great to know, because I'm very well prepared for these situations’.
“I'm looking forward to it, because there's only one team that's going to win, and that's Great Britain. So there's no other way to put it (laughter).”
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While Team Australia and Team Great Britain good-naturedly jostle for bragging rights, Team USA – anchored by top-10 stars Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz – might have something to say about who advances from the group stages to the semifinals, set for Sydney on 6 January.
Boulter – who will team with men’s No.1 Cameron Norrie, a good friend of De Minaur’s – acknowledged it would be an uphill battle for all three teams as they try to emerge victorious from Group C.
"Having had experience in Hopman Cup, where we played probably the strongest teams we possibly could have, I'm looking forward to it,” said Boulter, who also partnered Norrie at that 2019 event in Perth.
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“Ultimately for me I have no pressure. I feel like we're a strong nation, we've got a lot of strength behind us.
“But I've got to take care of my matches… I'm going to be playing higher-ranked opponents and I'm looking forward to it. I've got nothing to lose, I'm going to go out and have a swing, and hopefully show what I can do.
“I think that's the beauty of tennis – it's about match-ups, and anything can happen. And hopefully that's going to be us going through.”
Not if De Minaur can help it.
"She's trying to get a bit of information out of me, whether I'm going to play or not, and what I'm feeling, when I'm going to Perth, what I'm doing for my pre-season,” said the Aussie No.1, who will headline an impressive Australian squad.
“But I'm not going to budge. She's going to learn that pride for the country is very strong.
"It's going to be great, I'm looking forward to it and it should be a lot of fun."
