The United States, led by Gauff, faced Canada in the season-opening United Cup.

Sydney: Top seeds USA led by Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz faced Canada on Monday at the United Cup Mixed Teams Cup in Australia.

They begin their 2025 season in Perth, where Felix Auger-Aliassime and Leila Fernandez will lead the Canadians in the third tournament, which runs from December 27 to January 5.

Defending champions Germany, led by world number three Alexander Zverev, face Brazil and China, who have Olympic champion Zheng Qingwen.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Greece will also play in Perth alongside Kazakhstan and Spain, which is missing world number two Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz has not yet revealed where he will warm up for the Australian Open, which opens this year’s Grand Slam tournament.

Five-time major champion Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz again represent Poland as they seek to avenge their narrow defeat to Germany in the 2024 final.

In Sydney they will face the Czech Republic and Kasper Ruud’s Norway.

Like Alcaraz, world number one Jannik Sinner has refused to play in the United Cup for his country Italy, which faces France and Switzerland in the group stage.

Britain will take on Alex de Minaur’s Australia in the other Sydney group.

“Everyone who competes in this tournament absolutely loves the experience,” said tournament director Stephen Farrow. “It’s the perfect way to acclimatize to Australian conditions.”

Seven of the world’s top 10 women and six of the world’s top 12 men have registered.

Each team, consisting of three men and three women, advances to a round-robin format, with draws including one men’s and one women’s singles, as well as a mixed doubles bout.

The group winners in each city advance to the quarter-finals along with the top runners-up.

The semi-finals and final will be held in Sydney, where the prize fund will be US$10 million and ATP and WTA ranking points will be at stake.

United Cup draw:

Perth
Group A – USA, Canada, to be announced later.
Group C – Greece, Kazakhstan, Spain.
Group F – China, Germany, Brazil.

Sydney
Group B – Poland, Czech Republic, Norway.
Group D – Italy, France, Switzerland.
Group F – Great Britain, Australia, to be announced.