Alex de Minaur and Olivia Gadecki spearhead Australia’s United Cup workforce to face Nice Britain within the group stage in Sydney.
Melbourne, Australia, 21 October 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Alex de Minaur and Olivia Gadecki will lead Australia into battle towards Nice Britain and a yet-to-be-determined nation within the group stage of the 2025 United Cup in Sydney following the discharge of the draw on Monday.
The Australian workforce, which additionally contains top-10 doubles gamers Ellen Perez and Matt Ebden, in addition to reserves Destanee Aiava and Omar Jasika, was pitted in the identical group as Nice Britain for the second 12 months operating.
It reprises a burgeoning rivalry between world No.10 De Minaur and the 22-year-old Brit, Jack Draper, which the Australian leads 3-1.
Draper soared into the highest 20 after he delivered the knockout blow to an injury-impaired De Minaur within the US Open quarterfinals in September for his maiden Slam semifinal.
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The Australia v Nice Britain showdown additionally raises the chance that De Minaur may come up towards his girlfriend Katie Boulter ought to each contest the combined doubles when the 2 nations meet at Ken Rosewall Area in January.
“Jack’s a very robust participant. He’s on the rise, he’s received higher and higher the final three years now,” Australia’s Davis Cup coach Lleyton Hewitt mentioned. “He has loads of firepower; it’s going to be a tricky match.
“He and Alex have had some battles previously. Alex wasn’t at his greatest on the US Open bodily by quarterfinals time, [but] he’s had his quantity previously the place Alex has gained fairly a number of occasions.
“It’s going to be a great problem for Alex first up for certain, after which Katie at a career-high rating in the meanwhile as effectively – for Olivia it’s an important alternative to play on Ken Rosewall Area and get publicity towards these top-line gamers.”
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Former world No.1 Hewitt mentioned he was significantly impressed with De Minaur’s evolution as a participant this season given the top-ranked Aussie had added layers to his sport.
The prospect of opening 2025 towards world No.18 Draper was precisely the robust hit-out he desired in a gaggle that might additionally function one of many remaining two groups to be added in late November.
“He’s capable of nonetheless preserve his unbelievable strengths, however he’s ready so as to add in several dimensions to really successful these matches,” Hewitt mentioned. “He’s such a tough employee on the market. He gained’t sit again and relaxation on his laurels in any respect.
“He’ll go on the market and try to discover these 1 and a couple of per cents that he could make himself a greater participant. He’s been capable of construct a bit bit extra energy, a bit extra firepower, and we all know how effectively he strikes across the court docket. He’s in all probability utilizing his transition sport to the web a bit bit extra on the proper occasions and he’s assured in doing that. All indicators are main in the proper method.”
Australia’s Olivia Gadecki returns the ball to Italy’s Martina Trevisan through the WTA 2024 ladies’s singles quarterfinal match in Zapopan, Mexico, September 13, 2024. (Picture by ULISES RUIZ / AFP) (Picture by ULISES RUIZ/AFP through Getty Pictures)
Casey Dellacqua, a former world No.26 in singles and No.3 in doubles, mentioned the United Cup offered an opportunity for a lot of Australians to see the inroads 22-year-old Gadecki had made in her career-best season, which included a maiden WTA remaining in Guadalajara, when she meets Boulter first up.
“She likes to face up on the baseline, she’s a very robust hitter of the ball,” Dellacqua mentioned of the world No.83. “She’s received a large function effectively, so she’s all the time on the lookout for that serve and that plus-one, that subsequent shot, to essentially be tremendous aggressive with, so I feel we’re going to see some big-hitting tennis.
“She’s began to search out her toes with regard to when to go huge and when to simply work the purpose and I feel that simply comes from years on tour. I feel we’re going to see some actually explosive tennis from Olivia.”
Additionally in Sydney, Poland headlines Group B with Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz, whereas Italy headlines Group D with Jasmine Paolini and Flavio Cobolli.
Defending champion Germany, with Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund, heads to Perth and can compete in Group E towards Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen’s China and top-10 star Beatriz Haddad Maia’s Brazil.
Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz spearhead the USA workforce in Group A in Perth, the place Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari can even lead Greece into battle in Group C.
United Cup Perth and Sydney finals tickets on sale now.
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