Editor's note: Alexander Zverev withdrew from the men's singles due to a bicep strain. Daniel Masur came in to face Alexander Shevchenko in the first quarter-final in Perth.
As always, the new year presents the opportunity for a fresh start. And if one of your resolutions is to spend more time focussed on tennis — as, of course, it should be — we have terrific news. This rare Wednesday off from work (for some of us) coincides with an absolutely loaded card from Down Under.
In Perth, two luminous United Cup quarter-final matches are on display. Unbeaten Germany and Kazakhstan meet in the first one and top seed Team United States takes on surprising China.
It’s the last day of group play in Sydney, but the winner-take-all round comes early for Poland and Czechia. Two unbeaten teams collide to determine one of two quarter-finalists, although the losing team could advance as well.
And how about this for drama? When Great Britain squares off against host nation Australia, all three teams from Group F (including Argentina) are in contention for a spot in the quarters.
Start time: (10 a.m. local, 9 p.m. ET)
[9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs [11] Laura Siegemund (GER)
[9] Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) vs [11] Alexander Zverev (GER)
[9] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) / Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) vs [11] Laura Siegemund (GER) / Alexander Zverev (GER)
This one may well go down to mixed doubles.
The two singles matches offer similar contrasts, with the No. 2-ranked Zverev facing No. 78 Shevchenko and No. 6 Rybakina opposite No. 80 Siegemund.
Zverev and Rybakina, not surprisingly, are both 3-0. Shevchenko and Siegemund are 2-1.
Germany’s a little banged up — Zverev has a sore shoulder and Siegemund was wearing a strap on her leg when they paired to beat China 2-1. It came down to a second-set tie-break against the Zhangs (Zhizhen and Shuai) with a final of 6-2, 7-6 (3).
While Zverev and Shevchenko have never faced each other, Rybakina and Siegemund have played six times, with Rybakina winning five.
“We’ve played a couple times,” Siegemund allowed coyly. “Obviously she is super dangerous for me. But I think I just have to put zero pressure on myself. That’s not a point we can count on.
“But I’ve shown many times that I can hurt the best players. I've hurt her also already. I know her. Let’s see.”
Sure enough, the past two matches went three sets.
If it comes down to doubles, advantage Germany.
Last year, the team of Zverev and Siegemund won their last three mixed doubles matches, against Greece, Australia and Poland, to take the United Cup title.
Start time: (5 p.m. local, 4 p.m. ET)
[1] Coco Gauff (USA) vs [5] Gao Xinyu (CHN)
[1] Taylor Fritz (USA) vs [5] Zhang Zhizhen (CHN)
[1] Coco Gauff (USA) / Taylor Fritz (USA) vs [5] Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) / Sun Fajing (CHN)
When Olympic singles gold medalist Zheng Qinwen withdrew, few thought China could advance to the quarter-finals. After all, her replacement was Gao, ranked No. 175, a 28-year-old who won her first WTA Tour-level match in 2024.
Now, after stunning three-set wins over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Laura Siegemund, Gao is an unfathomable 2-0. Now all she has to do is beat the No. 3-ranked player in the world.
Gauff has never played Gao, but she’s gotten an eyeful in Perth.
“I watched a couple of her matches, and she’s having an incredible week, obviously,” Gauff told reporters. “I expect her to play loose. She has nothing to lose. Yeah, I feel I'm playing in good form too, so it’s going to be a fun one.”
There’s some intrigue with the men’s match, too. Fritz and Zhang have met once before, in the Round of 16 at the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. Zhang saved three match points and won by the rollicking score of 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8).
“I remember it was such a just smooth-feeling match,” Fritz said. “Like up a set and a break, I was holding really easily, and then he broke me once and it just turned into a battle.
“It’s going to be tight. He’s a good player. Very good server. He’s going to be tough to break.”
Zhang, the highest-ranked man in China’s history, lost his Monday match to Germany’s Alexander Zverev, but knew advancing was still possible if Gao played well.
“When [Gao] won the first set, we were quite sure we already qualify, very happy,” Zhang said. “I didn’t expect that from [her] two matches. Too good.”
Start time: (10:30 a.m. local, 6:30 p.m. ET)
[2] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs [8] Tomas Machac (CZE)
[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE)
[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) / Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE) / Tomas Machac (CZE)
After the United States, Poland features the next-best collective singles tandem in No. 2 Swiatek and No. 16 Hurkacz. That’s why they’re the second seeds and reached the final last year.
But Czechia, which boasts a long run of success on the women’s side, has a solid lineup as well — Muchova and Machac, ranked No. 22 and No. 25, respectively.
The Swiatek-Muchova showdown is a rematch of the 2023 Roland Garros final. You would be hard-pressed to find two more dashing, athletic players. All three times they’ve played that match has gone the three-set distance, with Swiatek winning two — including that memorable Roland Garros final.
“It’s going to be very tough battle,” Muchova told reporters of the two singles matches. “They’re one of the best players for both of us. I think it’s actually very positive to play at the start of the season such great matches, especially for us, before Melbourne kicks in.”
Swiatek showed some doubles skills when she and Jan Zielinski clinched Poland’s 2-1 win over Norway. The final score was a manic 6-3, 0-6, 10-8.
“Mixed doubles is always a fun game for me,” Swiatek said. “So I’m happy that I can play without any expectations, just focusing on really enjoying tennis and trying to return some men’s serve.
“I’m excited for our match with Czech Republic because with Karolina we always have tight battles. I’ll try to prepare tactically, and I’ll be ready.”
Hurkacz won the only previous match against Machac in last year’s Marseille quarter-finals. In his first match of the season, Machac competed for nearly three hours before losing a tight clash with Casper Ruud.
Start time: (5:30 p.m. local, 1:30 a.m. ET)
[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) vs [12] Olivia Gadecki (AUS)
[6] Billy Harris (GBR) vs [12] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
[6] Katie Boulter (GBR) / Charles Broom (GBR) vs [12] Ellen Perez (AUS) / Matthew Ebden (AUS)
It’s probably feeling like Groundhog Day for the Aussies — in a good way.
Exactly one year ago, they stepped onto the RAC Arena court with a 0-1 record needing something of a miracle to advance — and they got it. De Minaur won his singles match over Taylor Fritz and Storm Hunter and Ebden upended the Americans in straight sets.
That produced a three-way tie with Team United States and Great Britain. All three teams went 3-3 in matches. But Australia took the tie-break — percentage of sets won by the narrowest of margins.
And today, the quarter-finals remain a possibility for all three teams in Group F. After losing to Argentina on Day 2, Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt said preparation was the first order of business.
“Recover first and they then start preparing for the next match against Great Britain and see what happens,” Hewitt said. “No matter what happens, it’s great preparation for these guys going into the Australian Open. That’s really important for these guys playing in front of a big crowd again, which is going to be very similar to what they’ll get down in Melbourne.”
