Few moments in the United Cup’s young history rival the 2024 final between Germany and Poland.
Iga Swiatek defeated Angelique Kerber, Alexander Zverev saved two match points against Hubert Hurkacz to level the tie, and the Zverev-Laura Siegemund pairing clinched the trophy in a tense mixed doubles decider.
That chapter set the tone for a rivalry we’ll see again in 2026. Fans in Sydney are guaranteed a long-awaited rematch, with Zverev leading Germany for the fourth time – this time in Group F against Swiatek-led Poland, as well as Team Netherlands.
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Zverev remains a top-three mainstay after a 57-win campaign in 2025, featuring four finals — including the Australian Open — and lifting the ATP 500 trophy in Munich.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist traditionally brings his best to Australia; he dropped just one singles match during Germany’s United Cup 2024 title run and went undefeated in the 2025 group stage before withdrawing injured in the quarterfinals.
“I’m excited to come back to the United Cup,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s always special to start the year there. We won in 2024, which was a very special moment with the team.”
Siegemund is expected to reprise her mixed doubles role, and men’s doubles star Kevin Krawietz is also a part of the team, but Germany will also unveil an exciting new talent in world No.40 Eva Lys.
At 23 years old, Lys broke onto the scene at Australian Open 2025, where she went from losing in the qualifying rounds, to being granted a last-minute lucky loser entry into the main draw, where she went all the way to the fourth round before bowing out to Swiatek.
“Always ending my good runs lol,” Lys wrote when she ran into the Polish champion months later in the third round of the Canadian Open. “Tried my best, came a little closer this time. We appreciate the small steps.”
Those “small” steps soon added up. Lys cracked the top 50 with a quarterfinal run at the WTA 1000 China Open, highlighted by a breakthrough win over 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No.5 Elena Rybakina.
As results built, fans warmed to her bubbly, accessible personality.
“I enjoy posting, I enjoy showing people a different life as well,” she told Tennis Channel.
“Overall in female sports, there’s this one stigma of how the female athlete is supposed to be… I’m just trying to show people that as an athlete, as a sister, as a woman, you can have fun outside of the work you’re doing.”
With a fresh face joining the steely resolve of “Sascha” Zverev and Germany’s established core, the team arrives in Sydney with both grit and spark.
Standing in their way, once again, is world No.2 Swiatek, hungrier than ever after back-to-back runner-up finishes.
