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Fritz & Gauff to represent USA in United Cup; Zverev, Felix join field

  • Posted: Oct 11, 2024

World No.4 Coco Gauff will make her United Cup debut for Team USA alongside world No.7 and US Open finalist Taylor Fritz at the innovative mixed team event in 2025.

Twenty-year-old Gauff, who was the flag bearer for the United States at the Olympic Games in Paris, thrives in a team environment.

“This will be my first time playing the United Cup so I’m super excited to kick off the year in Australia,” Gauff said. “It’s always an honour to represent my country.”

“It’s a really, cool event. I had a lot of fun playing mixed doubles at the Olympics so I kinda want to do that again.

“I’ve never been to other parts of Australia, other than Melbourne. I don’t know what city we’re going to play in yet but I’m super excited to go whether it’s Perth or Sydney.”

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World No.3 Alexander Zverev, who helped guide Team Germany to a memorable comeback win over Poland to secure the second edition of the United Cup, used the event to set up a stellar season, including deep runs at the Grand Slams and the Roland Garros final.

The 27-year-old, who holds 22 ATP singles titles, is looking forward to making his third appearance at the tournament.

“It’s the first week of the year… and we all want to be in Australia and play against the best players in the world and that’s what the United Cup brings,” Zverev said.

“Playing for your nation is obviously extremely special and I have the best memories from this year.”

The unique team environment United Cup offers is also a big motivation for Leylah Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime who are set to line up for Team Canada again in 2025.

“I want to play United Cup 2025 because it’s such a fun team experience,” said Fernandez, a US Open finalist in 2021.

“I love being part of a team… I get to see a little bit more of the men’s side of the team and also how they think on court, I get to pick their brains a little bit.

“I also think the interaction between all of us [is special], we grew up together so it’s good to have that moment to catch up.”

Auger-Aliassime agrees, “It’s a great way to start the year,” he said.

“I’ve had great success [playing for my country] and mixing up with Leylah, is always good. I love her energy, I love her game so it’s going to be a lot of fun.

“It’s honestly my favourite thing, some of my favourite weeks on tour [playing as part of a team].”

Greece’s (12) Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, China’s (7) Zheng Qinwen and Norway’s (9) Casper Ruud committed to the third edition of the tournament in September.

From Friday 27 December to Sunday 5 January, 18 countries, featuring up to three men and up to three women, will compete across Perth and Sydney.

United Cup Tournament Director Stephen Farrow is delighted to have five more players commit to the tournament early.

“We are so pleased to see Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff line up for Team USA for the first time alongside US Open finalist Taylor Fritz,” Farrow said.

“Germany’s world No.3 Alexander Zverev, the two-time Grand Slam finalist and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, always brings the energy to the United Cup and no doubt the defending champions will be raring to go for the first week of the new year.

“We are also excited to welcome Leylah Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime back to the event in 2025. The Canadian fans turned out in droves earlier this year and we look forward to seeing them in their country colours again to support the team’s next campaign.”

Participation for the first 16 teams in the United Cup is subject to players committing by the tournament’s entry deadline of 16 October. The remaining two teams will be decided after the second qualification date of 19 November.

The official draw will be held on 21 October and will determine where each country will play the group stage. 

Ten countries will qualify for the United Cup via the five highest-ranked men and five highest-ranked women entered based on their PIF ATP and WTA rankings.

Eight teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country.

Tickets

•  Tickets for the United Cup quarterfinals in Perth are on sale via Ticketek

•  Tickets for the United Cup quarterfinals, semifinals and final in Sydney are on sale via Ticketmaster

•  Tickets to the United Cup group stages go on sale Tuesday 22 October at 5:00 p.m. local time in Sydney and Perth

Visit the tournament tickets page to buy your tickets.

Follow @UnitedCupTennis on social media for the latest tournament news.

 

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Djokovic shares Nadal's 'greatest achievement' in social media tribute

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have battled fiercely on the tennis court for nearly two decades, yet their rivalry transcends mere competition. There is a deep mutual respect between the two legends, a sentiment Djokovic captured perfectly in a social media tribute to Nadal, who on Thursday announced that he will retire in November.

“One post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport,” Djokovic wrote. “You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably the greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades.”

Both former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic and Nadal have contested countless epic showdowns, often lasting hours and testing the physical limits and mental endurance of both players. Djokovic and Nadal have met a record 60 times, with the Serbian holding a 31-29 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

It is one of the greatest rivalries not only in tennis, but in sports.

“Your legacy will live forever,” Djokovic added. “Only you know what you had to endure to become an icon of tennis and sport in general. Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player.”

The 38-year-old Nadal will compete in his final professional event at the Davis Cup Finals, to be held in Malaga, Spain from 19-24 November.

“Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable,” Djokovic said. “I wish you the best possible farewell in Malaga with the Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career.”

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Alcaraz on Machac loss: 'I felt like I was playing a Top-5 player'

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz admits to have had no response to the blistering tennis thrown at him Thursday by Tomas Machac, who upset the World No. 2 in the quarter-finals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Alcaraz’s 12-match winning streak came to an abrupt end in a 7-6(5), 7-5 defeat at the hands of Machac, who claimed his second win over a Top-5 player (Djokovic, Geneva SF). It was a winning streak that included the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash at the Davis Cup last month, in which Machac was forced to retire at one set apiece.

As he did when representing Czechia, Machac took the opening set in a tie-break in Shanghai, but the 23-year-old made no mistake of closing it out in straight sets, exuding extreme confidence throughout.

“I felt like I was playing against a Top-5 player,” said Alcaraz, who suffered his first defeat since his second-round exit at the US Open. “Not even Top 10, no, Top 5. His level was so high. I thought that he was going to give me an opportunity, a window, but he didn’t.

“From the first game until the last one, his level was so high. His ball speed, it was unbelievable. Honestly, I felt good on the court, I felt the ball really well, I was hitting well, I was moving well. But, at some points, I didn’t know what to do.”

Alcaraz showed signs of a second-set fightback after he had retrieved the break back, but Machac kept his foot on the gas to dismantle the Spaniard’s serve for a second time before serving out the victory with ease.

“It was unbelievable, it was crazy for me,” added Alcaraz. “He was pushing me to the limit all the time that I was thinking that I had to put the right ball in the right place all the time. If not, I was going to run everywhere, or he was going to make a winner. So I think that the pressure he put [on] me was the key in the match.”

Alcaraz, who has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, is next scheduled to play the Rolex Paris Masters after slipping to 51-10 on the season.

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Federer headlines social media reaction to Nadal's retirement announcement

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire following this year’s Davis Cup Finals in November.

Stars from tennis and beyond quickly took to social media to congratulate the Spaniard on his unforgettable career. Roger Federer, who played his final match alongside Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup, led the way with a message.

“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” Federer wrote in an Instagram comment. “Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour!”

Casper Ruud, who played doubles with the Spaniard in Bastad earlier this year, wrote: “RAFA Forever!!” Ruud wrote. “Thank you for everything legend.”

Andy Roddick and Fernando Verdasco were among the other stars who shared their thoughts on the lefty’s announcement.

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Gasquet announces upcoming retirement

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Richard Gasquet, the former No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, revealed in an interview with L’Equipe plans to retire next year after Roland Garros.

“I think that it is the best moment for me to do it,” Gasquet said in the French interview. “It is the best tournament to do it. It’s magnificent, we have the chance being French to be able to stop in these kind of incredible places. An end, it’s always complicated, all the former great players always told me it’s not easy to announce. You never know when, how, where. Here, in any case, it is obvious.”

The 38-year-old, who turned pro in 2002, has spent more than two decades in the spotlight. Having graced the cover of French Tennis Magazine at age nine, Gasquet won his ATP Tour debut match aged 16 at the 2002 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters against Franco Squillari.

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Active Players With 500 Wins


 Player  Record
 1) Novak Djokovic  1,119-221
 2) Rafael Nadal  1,080-227
 3) Richard Gasquet  605-400
 4) Marin Cilic  587-333
 5) Stan Wawrinka  573-359
 6) Gael Monfils  561-334

The Frenchman, known for his picturesque one-handed backhand, has earned 605 tour-level wins (605-400), the third-most victories among active players behind only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Gasquet has won 16 ATP Tour titles, most recently triumphing last year in Auckland. He has claimed 36 victories against Top 10 opponents and competed in the Nitto ATP Finals twice, in 2007 and 2013.

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