Mexico City /
Tennis once again demonstrated that “unity is strength” and rather than conflict, it created a tournament called the United Cup.
This mixed tournament by countries will launch the 2023 season of the professional circuits of the ATP and WTA, and also has the recognition of the International Tennis Federation.
The two main circuits together with Tennis Australia (organizer of the Australian Open), undertook the task of creating this event under the concept of bringing everyone together in the Australian summer in a new twist at the beginning of the calendar.
The United Cup will come to replace the ATP Cup, which was organized by the men’s circuit and was created to compete with the Davis Cup when this tournament by countries was ceded by the ITF to the company Kosmos, whose owner is the retired footballer Gerard Pique.
However, the disagreements are left behind as the Davis Cup will continue its path with the new format created by its new owners, while the United Cup begins its own history and sends the message that the integration between the ATP and the WTA is increasingly closer.
The tournament will feature 18 competing countries, which will play a group stage and playoffs in three Australian cities, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, for 11 days from December 29, 2022 to January 8, 2023 and will have the two extras that never must be missing for it to be a success: cash prizes (up to 15 million dollars) and points for the ranking.
Thus, in Group A will be Greece, Belgium and Bulgaria; in B, Poland, Switzerland and Kazakistan; in C, the United States, Germany and the Czech Republic; in the D, Spain, Australia and Great Britain; the E is made up of Italy, Brazil and Norway; and the F will be made up of France, Croatia and Argentina.
As for the series, each one will have five matches, two male and female singles in the day session and another two singles plus a mixed doubles in the night session.
Of the 11 days of the tournament, the one on January 5 will serve as a transfer for the champions of Brisbane and Perth, the two cities where the semifinals are not played, to Sydney, the city that will host the Semifinals and Final from January 6 to 8.
The competition maintains the spirit of playing for your country that already had the ATP Cup and for the first time brings together men’s and women’s tennis in an official tournament organized by ATP and WTA. The precedent was called the Hopman Cup, it was organized by the ITF and it did not award points, as it was for exhibition.
Between captains and players, the United Cup will bring together very high-profile names that will unite in a stellar lineup of current and past champions such as Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Tim Henman, Iva Majoli, Gisela Dulko, among many others. others.
Without a doubt, the United Cup is a tournament that shows that it is possible to work towards the same objective despite having different philosophies, and the institutions that govern tennis are doing it again.
