ATP and WTA will kick off the 2023 season with a mixed teams competition in Australia

• The ATP and WTA announced on Friday that a brand-new event called the United Cup
• The competition will begin on December 29 and continue for a total of eleven days. There will be eighteen different countries participating
• The championship match for the United Cup will take place in Sydney on January 8 and in Melbourne Park on January 16

The ATP and WTA announced on Friday that a brand-new event called the United Cup will kick off the tennis season in Australia in 2023. The competition will include mixed teams and will offer US$15 million in prize money in addition to ranking points.

It will take the place of the men’s ATP Cup and will be played in Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney. It will serve as the primary warm-up event for the Australian Open Grand Slam.

Starting on December 29, the competition will last for eleven days and feature eighteen different nations. Each team will consist of up to four men and four women, and there will be 500 WTA and 500 ATP ranking points up for grabs.

“The United Cup is an important and strategic collaboration between the WTA, the ATP and Tennis Australia that reflects a continued commitment in elevating our sport,” said WTA chief Steve Simon.

“This exciting singles and mixed doubles team event will bring together emerging stars and established athletes from both tours to compete on the same stage.”

From the 29th of December to the 4th of January, the cities of Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney will each host two groups of three countries in a round robin style. The matches will consist of two men’s and two women’s singles matches, as well as one mixed doubles match.

The champions of each group stage in each city will compete against one another in order to earn one of three semi-final slots in Sydney. They will be joined by the next best performing team from the group stages.

“The United Cup marks a major step forward for the game of tennis,” said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

“Most importantly, it will create incredible new experiences for our fans. We´re excited to see the best men´s and women´s players competing together, with ranking points on the line, to launch the season like never before.”

On January 8, Sydney will host the final of the United Cup, and on January 16, Melbourne Park will play host to the first round of the Australian Open.