Does the United Cup start with several birth defects?
At the beginning of next year, Tennis Australia would like to host the United Cup as a replacement for the ATP Cup, in which women should also be used. There are some open questions.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Oct 18, 2022, 04:10 pm
There was a lot to learn in the summer of 2022. For example, in a tournament in which not all tennis professionals can take part, no points are awarded for the world rankings unless tournaments are held in parallel where this is possible. That's what happened in Wimbledon, where Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina were allowed to receive the winner's trophies, but dropped by 2,000 points for the respective charts. Good: The prize money and the fame were right, and Djokovic knows, even without looking at the rankings, that he is the best player in the world.
So if the BBC now reports that the ATP and the ITF have approached each other to take the tension out of the ATP Cup vs. Davis Cup, then this should be noted with caution. Because nothing will change in terms of Davis Cup in the coming year compared to the current one: The playoffs of the world group will be played in February, after the US Open the week will be for the intermediate rounds (this year in Hamburg, Bologna, Valencia and Glasgow) kept free. And in November there will be the grand finale with the top eight teams. And all this, as of now, without awarding ATP points. Because: see above.
Mixed doubles only if there is a tie?
However: Davis' competition for the ATP Cup is becoming significantly smaller. Because the latter will be replaced by the United Cup. A new format to commemorate the Hopman Cup. But that's not quite true, because at that time the pitch was made in Perth for the sake of the good atmosphere and because of a certainly nice entry fee. Without relevance for the ATP or WTA world rankings.
In any case, Tennis Australia is about to get the new format on the road. If you can believe well-informed circles, a birth defect is already being announced in the United Cup, which has not looked good on the ATP Cup either: Two singles each should be played for women and men, in the event of a tie after the singles, the mixed doubles. But that was always the icing on the cake at the Hopman Cup. Regardless of the score.
What about the Russians?
Even more serious, however, is that qualification for the United Cup also takes place via the respective best player in a country. Greece would be reasonably fine this time with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari (which was not the case at the ATP Cup with Michail Pervolarakis). But what about Tunisia, ranked number two in the world with Ons Jabeur? With Skander Mansouri (ATP number 248) and Aziz Dougaz (333), two players would now be used who have no assignment on the “normal” tour.
How Tennis Australia, the ATP and the WTA will solve this problem will be watched with interest in the coming weeks. However, after there will be ranking points in the United Cup, the tennis lover now knows: There will be enough alternative events where all those who did not get a place in the United Cup can collect valuable points. And, since we're on the subject of open questions: What about a Russian team that, considering all the sporting facts, would start the new event as the favorites? Craig Tiley still has a lot of work to do.