Following the release of the 2024 United Cup draw and schedule, we look at what fans in Sydney can expect from the group stages, where second-seeded Greece heads the field.
Greece’s semifinal run in the inaugural United Cup in January gave fans in the Harbour City a taste of the electric atmosphere the Blue and Whites generate when their charges take the court.
Blessed with top-10 singles stars in Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, the Greeks return to Ken Rosewall Arena in 2024 to contest their two group ties against Canada and a final team to be announced on November 20.
This guarantees two session in Sydney with Greek supporters in full flight.
In 2023, Tsitsipas and Sakkari went undefeated in their three respective group-stage singles matches in Perth and three mixed doubles appearances together before Italy ended their run in Sydney.
It laid the foundations for Tsitsipas’ season-best run to the Australian Open final a fortnight later.
Former world No.1 Angelique Kerber already holds cherished memories Down Under as the site of her maiden Grand Slam triumph over Serena Williams in the Australian Open 2016 final.
She is no stranger to success on Ken Rosewall Arena either, having lifted the trophy at the 2018 Sydney International after denying future No.1, Australia’s own Ash Barty.
Also a Wimbledon and US Open champion, Kerber has the runs on the board as she prepares to mount a comeback following the birth of her daughter Liana in February.
It will be the 35-year-old’s first even on Australian in almost two years when she combines with Alexander Zverev.
Two years ago, Felix Auger-Aliassime helped Canada to the ATP Cup trophy on the eve of the Australian Open.
With a Davis Cup title also in the bag, the 23-year-old has the chance to add a mixed team triumph to his name when Canada makes its United Cup debut.
The former world No.6 will combine with 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez who climbed back inside the top 50 following her first title in 19 months in Hong Kong in October.
Fernandez is no stranger to taking down big names. On her run to that final at Flushing Meadows two years ago she became just the third woman in the Open era to beat three top-five seeds – Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka – en route.
With three major finals in the past two seasons, world No.8 Casper Ruud has fast racked up big-match experience on the grandest stages.
Having fallen to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 Roland Garros decider, the world No.1 ranking was on the line when he succumbed to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final in 2022. The 24-year-old again hit his straps in Paris this year, seeing off Holger Rune and Zverev before falling to Novak Djokovic in the title match.
The Norwegian split his two singles matches in his United Cup debut this year.
Arguably the most hyped showdown in Sydney will come when Greece meets Canada in Group B. In a clash where explosive shot-making will be de rigueur, world No.7 Tsitsipas will carry a 5-3 advantage into his showdown with Auger-Aliassime, while Sakkari looks to extend her unbeaten run against the crafty Fernandez to 3-0.
Former world No.4 Caroline Garcia will hope to peg one back on a 3-6 ledger against former No.1 Kerber when France takes on Germany in Group D. During Kerber’s absence last season, the talented Frenchwoman made a late-career breakthrough to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal in New York.
Where Group B has its boisterous Greek supporters, Group F’s Croatian fans are just as renowned for building an atmosphere.
The United Cup marks former world No.12 Borna Coric’s return having not played since the US Open and he will be buoyed by winning records against Ruud and Dutch world No.25 Tallon Griekspoor.
His teammate, Donna Vekic, was an Australian Open 2023 quarterfinalist and won all three group-stage singles matches for Croatia last year. She looks to maintain an unbeaten record against Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus.
Group B
Greece
Canada
ATP TBC
Group D
France
Italy
Germany
Group F
Croatia
Netherlands
Norway
