Co-captain Sam Stosur expects Nick Kyrgios to relish the team environment of the United Cup in his first tournament in Australia since his Wimbledon heroics, while forecasting her and Lleyton Hewitt will handle each player differently with a relaxation of coaching rules.
Kyrgios arrives back in the country as a drawcard for the new mixed gender teams event, and will spearhead Australia’s charge in a Sydney pool featuring Rafael Nadal’s Spain and Cameron Norrie’s Great Britain.
Australia’s top-ranked men’s player has continued his Davis Cup exile, but will pull on the green and gold for the United Cup, a key lead-up for the Australian Open.
“I think it’s no secret Nick loves being in a team and a team competition,” Stosur said. “I’m sure this is going to be right up his alley, being an Australian team in Australia at the start of the year. He’ll be keen and ready to go.
“He’s our highest-ranked player in the country, and I’m certainly looking forward to watching him play. To be honest, I haven’t been on the sideline watching Nick in a live match. I do find his tennis really entertaining, and he’s an amazing player. To be right there this week is going to be lots of fun.
“It’s the United Cup, a united team. When the team’s out there playing, we certainly expect everyone to be out there supporting each other and doing the best they can from the sidelines as well as on the court.”
Nick Kyrgios will headline Australia’s team at the United Cup.Credit:Getty
Kyrgios is scheduled to meet the No.1 ranked players from Australia’s rivals – Norrie and Nadal – in one of two men’s singles matches in each tie.
Alex de Minaur will be the No.2 seed for Australia, with two women’s singles and a mixed doubles rubber – for which Stosur will be eligible as a playing captain – to round out each tie.
The United Cup might offer equal prize money for men and women in a new format, but it will also involve a variation from the tactics on the regular circuit. Captains will have access to a “strategy room” in which they will be able to watch replays on demand, and coaching will be allowed in changeovers and even between points if a player is down the same end of the court as the bench.
How much tuition will Kyrgios want? The same as de Minaur? Or Australia’s top-ranked female Ajla Tomljanović, a two-time grand slam quarter finalist in 2022?
Stosur has already spoken with Hewitt, Australia’s Davis Cup captain, about what will be a whole new experience for her at the United Cup.
“It depends on the individual player,” she said. “I know throughout my career, I don’t necessarily like too much information. I don’t necessarily want to know when the score’s this, they serve there. You can have information, and you have information overload as well. It really depends on the person.
“I guess my job as co-captain, especially with the girls, is to work out how much they want from that perspective and how much they want to go with the flow and feel it out on the court. Whatever that outcome is, I’ll support every individual in what they want.
“[But] I know 99 per cent of the time as players we’re out there on our own trying to work it out. The most important thing is supporting the players out on court with tactics or technical things or just building confidence and self belief to get them through any sort of situation.”
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas will be the star attraction from the Perth groups while Poland’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek will begin her Australian Open preparations in Brisbane.
Watch the United Cup live and free on the 9Network – Channel 9 and 9Gem. Every match will be available live on 9Now.
