Top talent from the ATP and WTA tours will kick off the 2023 season with a new mixed team event, the United Cup. The tournament replaces the ATP Cup and is reminiscent of the defunct Hopman Cup, a mixed team event that ran from 1989 to 2019. Switzerland won the last two editions of the Hopman Cup in 2018 and 2019 with Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic.
The United Cup, created in partnership with Tennis Australia, will run from Thursday 29th December into the new year and finish on Sunday 8th January 2023. The Australian Open will get underway a week later on 16th January.
The tournament “will showcase equality at the highest level of the sport, with mixed teams from 18 countries competing across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney,” an ATP statement reads.
“The first 12 countries will qualify via the six highest-ranked number one players that enter, on both the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour. The remaining six countries will qualify according to the best combined ranking of their respective number one men’s and women’s players.
“Teams will feature three to four players from each Tour.”
Brisbane, Perth and Sydney will each host two groups of three countries, competing in a round robin format. Ties will involve two ATP and two WTA singles matches, and one mixed doubles match.
“Each City Final winner will advance to the United Cup Final Four in Sydney (6-8 January), with the next best performing team from the group stages completing the quartet.”
