For the five decades of their co-existence, the ATP and WTA have traveled on parallel tracks without ever officially meeting in the middle. While the men and women of pro tennis cross paths regularly—at the Grand Slams and the Masters 1000s, during World Team Tennis and the Olympics—they’ve never joined forces in a team event, on the same courts, with real live ranking points on the line.
That era of separation will end on December 29th, when the United Cup begins. The 18-country, 11-day competition will be headlined by many of the best from both tours. Rafael Nadal and Paula Badosa will play for Spain, Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz for Poland, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari for Greece, Alex De Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic for Australia, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Jessica Pegula for the United States.
For those of us who believe that tennis is—as the phrase once went—stronger together, this is a promising, forward-thinking way to kick off a new season. It takes us back to the co-gender camaraderie of the now-defunct Hopman Cup, but expands it across three cities, in matches that mean something for the players’ rankings, and for significantly more money—$7,500,000 each for men and women.
Of course, it won’t come without its bumps in the road. The home nation’s biggest draw, Nick Kyrgios, pulled out at the 11th hour; the tournament’s Russian ban will keep Top 10ers Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Veronica Kudermetova sidelined; and the male player who has been most supportive of dual-gender tennis, Andy Murray, isn’t competing for Great Britain.
Still, it will be an historic 10 days. Here are three things to look for as the United Cup unfolds.