The inaugural United Cup got underway on Thursday in Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney. The current group standings can be found here.
Each group will have three ties in the round-robin phase, and each tie is spread across two days. Both days include a men’s and women’s singles match from each tie, with the second day also featuring a mixed doubles match. If the teams split the four singles matches, the mixed doubles will serve as the decider in the tie.
Each day, this preview will analyze the two most intriguing matches on the schedule. Friday’s play gets underway at 10:00am local time in all three cities.
Jessica Pegula [USA] vs. Petra Kvitova [CZE] – 10:00am in Perth
The United States leads the Czech Republic 2-0, with Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys scoring wins on Thursday. So the USA only needs to win one of their three scheduled matches on Friday to win the tie.
Pegula was one of the 2022 season’s most consistent performers, going 42-21 and achieving a career-high ranking of No.3. And she did so while only winning one title, at the new WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara.
Kvitova was 27-19 last season, with over half of her wins coming between June and September. She won a grass court title in Eastbourne, and reached the final of the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati.
Petra holds a 2-1 edge over Jessica, though their most recent meeting went to the American, which was in the fourth round of the 2022 US Open. And based on 2022 form, Pegula should be favored to prevail again on Friday, securing the tie for the United States.
Stan Wawrinka [SUI] vs. Alexander Bublik [KAZ] – Not Before 5:30pm in Brisbane
Switzerland leads Kazakhstan 2-0 thanks to victories on Thursday from Belinda Bencic and Marc-Andrea Huesler.
Wawrinka returned to competition last March after missing a full year of action due to injury, going just 10-15 at all levels. But Stan gained some traction in the fall on indoor hard courts. He came through qualifying in Metz to reach the semifinals, upsetting Daniil Medvedev along the way. And in Basel, he ousted two-time Major finalist Casper Ruud.
Bublik went 33-27 last season, achieving three finals. And he was the man who ended Wawrinka’s run in the Metz semifinals, though Stan was forced to retire in that match after just three games due to injury.
Their only other previous encounter also took place during 2022, with Bublik winning in three sets on the clay of Monte Carlo. Considering Wawrinka’s improved form over the last few months, as well as the unpredictability regarding just how invested Bublik can seem from match-to-match, I give Stan the slight edge to earn his first win over Bublik on Friday, which would secure this tie for Switzerland.
The United Cup daily schedule is here.
