For the fourth consecutive year, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will open their seasons representing their nation at the United Cup.
The Greek superstars, both former world No.3s, are the star-studded duo headlining a team, which also features Stefanos Sakellaridis, Petros Tsitsipas, Despina Papamichail and Sapfo Sakellaridi.
Greece has been a mainstay of the competition since the inaugural United Cup in 2023, with Australia’s significant Greek population vociferously supporting the team in its previous campaigns.
That support, and the strength of the team, helped Greece to the semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals in 2024.
“It's charming to be in a team event again. There's a lot of excitement that this holds,” Tsitsipas said ahead of the 2024 event. “United Cup is one of the most exciting competitions that tennis has at the moment. To be representing the Greek colours is something that you don't see in tennis that often.
“All the Greeks are here to support us at any given moment, I feel like. We have a great relationship with them. They are always on high attendance when we play on these courts. We witnessed them in Perth. We've witnessed them in Melbourne, even in Brisbane. Now we're in Sydney.
“I feel like, regardless of the player, regardless of who is on the court playing … the support is the same intense on every occasion. That for us means a lot.
“It gives us in a way a psychological advantage knowing that there is this kind of presence on court.”
Tsitsipas brings his own presence to the court, a two-time Grand Slam finalist who plays with big weapons and stylish, all-court aggression.
Season 2025 had its challenges, with the 27-year-old slipping from world No.8 in April to end the year outside the top 30. Injuries affected his progress, and he did not play any tennis since representing Greece at the Davis Cup in September.
There were bright spots, however, such as when he produced a brilliant week of tennis to win the Dubai ATP 500 title for his12th career title, which served as a reminder of his potency.
It was a similar story for Sakkari, who suffered a fall in the rankings but also produced glimmers of her best form to position herself for a resurgence in 2026.
Seeded 31st at Australian Open 2025, Sakkari fell as low as world No.92 in May, before working her way back up to 52nd by year’s end, helped by a quarterfinal in Washington DC and a third-round run at the US Open.
Not only is Sakkari as similarly decorated singles star – she is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist – but she has also thrived in United Cup mixed doubles, boasting a 4-1 record alongside Tsitsipas in the competition.
“It's a big advantage playing with Stefanos, I can tell you that,” she smiled. “I mean, we knew from day one, from the first match we played together that we have a very good chemistry on the court.”
It’s that chemistry, and love for representing their country, that Sakkari and Tsitsipas hope propel them to glory at the United Cup, where they will compete in Group E in Perth against Great Britain and Japan.
That means blockbusters for Sakkari against Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka, while Tsitsipas gets a crack at Jack Draper, the Brit who rose as high as world No.4 this year.
Strong performances might not only put Tsitsipas and Sakkari on track to claim a title they crave; it could infuse them with the momentum and confidence necessary to restore their positions inside the world’s top 10.
“That is our goal, of course,” Sakkari said. “It would be the dream if we can win this event.”
