Switzerland tackles the United Cup
Will Bencic, Wawrinka and Co. get the next bucket?
The United Cup heralds the start of the Australian tennis summer. At the new mixed tournament, Belinda Bencic and Stan Wawrinka are aiming for another team trophy for Switzerland.
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A month and a half ago, Switzerland triumphed at the Billie Jean King Cup.
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It is a country competition that has never existed on the tennis tour before. 18 nations and 140 professionals play for the United Cup in the cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. In the mixed tournament there are even up to 500 world ranking points to be won.
The fact that Switzerland is a team nation was recently proven at the Billie Jean King Cup. With Belinda Bencic and Jil Teichmann, two players from the Glasgow triumph are back. The eastern Swiss always seems to be inspired when she competes for Switzerland. As is well known, she won gold in singles and silver in doubles in Tokyo. She won the last edition of the Hopman Cup, the predecessor of the United Cup, alongside Roger Federer.
When asked about it in Brisbane, Bencic says: “It’s something. I think it’s an honor for me to represent Team Switzerland. Somehow I manage to get a little bit more out of myself. Maybe it’s because I feel like I’m playing for something bigger than myself.”
This is how the United Cup works
The 18 teams were divided into six groups of three, with two groups each playing their games in one city. Five games will be played: two men’s and two women’s singles and at the end a mixed doubles. The group winners qualify for the city final (quarterfinals) and play there with the winner of the other group in their city for a place in the semifinals. The last place among the top four gets the best losing team of the quarterfinals. The semi-finals and the final will be held in Sydney. You can see the United Cup on Sky or Tennis TV.
The 18 teams were divided into six groups of three, with two groups each playing their games in one city. Five games will be played: two men’s and two women’s singles and at the end a mixed doubles. The group winners qualify for the city final (quarterfinals) and play there with the winner of the other group in their city for a place in the semifinals. The last place among the top four gets the best losing team of the quarterfinals. The semi-finals and the final will be held in Sydney. You can see the United Cup on Sky or Tennis TV.
Return for Wawrinka
In addition to the BJK duo, Ylena In-Albon (WTA 124), Joanne Züger (WTA 187), Marc-Andrea Hüsler (ATP 56), Dominic Stricker (ATP 118), Alexander Ritschard (ATP 169) and Stan Wawrinka (ATP 148 ) on. For the three-time Grand Slam champion, it will be the first appearance for a national team in seven years. The 37-year-old was also immediately appointed captain.
Kazakhstan and Poland are waiting in the group games. On Thursday (10 a.m. Swiss time) Bencic starts against Julia Putinzewa (WTA 51), followed by Hüsler, who meets Timofei Skatow (ATP 142). On Friday, Wawrinka (against Alexander Bublik) and Teichmann (against Schibek Kulambayeva) will face off in their individual duels.
On January 2nd and 3rd, Switzerland will meet the slightly favored Poles around Iga Swiatek (WTA 1) and Hubert Hurkacz (ATP 10). But we know: Switzerland can do team competitions.