Week 1 - United Cup, Perth/Sydney, Australia - Hard Outdoor

wolf · Tennis legend

Week 1 - United Cup, Perth/Sydney, Australia - Hard Outdoor

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
9vicman wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Not meaning to be the spoilsport here, but this is technically an invitation event and therefore there shouldn't be any points available IMO. But that's just me.

Regardless of that, excellent wins for Cam and Katie.
Technically it isn't an invitation event as rankings of the top players are used to determine a nation's entry. That said it still feels exhibition in style, and am not comfortable with points being awarded in this event, and not in Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup. But the points aren't that generous, and for the winner to win 500 points they'd have to defeat Top 10 players in all five matches. However without points I suspect the entry would be weaker. It's basically like a larger version of the Hopman Cup now - you've lost the big team element that you had in 2023.
But can all nations participate ? There are players higher ranked that are excluded, than some of those participating. Unless entry is purely on rankings, that makes it 'invitational' in my opìnion.
Everyone qualifies buddy. There are some spots for teams with the highest ranked singles player and some spots for teams using the combined ranking of the top 2 singles players.
Six countries will qualify based on the ATP ranking of their number one ranked singles player.
Six countries will qualify based on the WTA ranking of their number one ranked singles player.
The final six countries will qualify based on the combined ranking of their number one ranked ATP and WTA players.
In exchange for being the host nation, Australia will be guaranteed one of the spots reserved for teams with the best combined ranking if it would have failed to qualify on its own.

So technically a player ranked 7 in the world (either men's or women's rankings) could miss out because that country doesn't have a decent player of the opposite gender. That's is a type of qualification but 'individual' ranking points should not be awarded if the players need to be reliant somebody else's ranking in order to qualify.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Saturday 30th of December 2023 09:23:23 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Just realised this format now with two singles and a mixed is basically the Hopman Cup, just 18 teams instead of 8 and yet they still have the Hopman Cup transplanted to Nice in summer.

Bit of a mess really. No idea why they changed it outside of politics.

Im like Bob, not really sure world rankings points should be given for this event. Happy to follow it and pleased the players take it seriously, not sure points are correct but maybe they are needed to get players to play?

paulisi · Tennis legend

There needs to be an incentive with ranking points as there are numerous ATP/WTA and challenger events to compete against.

RainDelay · Pro player

The hopman cup always managed to get good line ups without throwing ranking points at it. This is after all a glorified exhibition tournament.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RainDelay wrote:
The hopman cup always managed to get good line ups without throwing ranking points at it. This is after all a glorified exhibition tournament.

Agreed. And there is big money. the Kooyong event that used to take place next week always also got good fields for an exho

9vicman · Strong Club Player

I do agree with Bob that it is not a traditional entry by ranking event. And yes, the event has become a glorified Hopman Cup.

But that was never the plan. It started as direct competition to the Davis Cup as the ATP Cup and presumably a money making exercise for Tennis Australia (they hoped). While reasonably successful on court, it didn't really work overall and was messy running along stand-alone WTA events at some venues. A combined event made more sense, particularly in the then absence of the Hopman Cup. Last year having teams of eight felt like something new, but the format didn't really work with ties held over two days and the mixed doubles often being dead.

So after yet further tweaks you've ended up with something that feels more like an exhibition than any of the precious iterations with lots of players choosing to play the standalone ATP and WTA events. Was it worth it, has it been a real showcase for tennis, has it made any money? The jury is still out I think.

wolf · Tennis legend

Tomorrow 2am
Katie Boulter WR 56 vs Jessica Pegula (USA) WR 5
Cameron Norrie WR 18 vs Taylor Fritz (USA) WR 10
Katie Boulter & Neal Skupski CR 1381 (1372+9) vs Jessica Pegula & Taylor Fritz (USA/USA) CR 118 (3+115)

USA have not initially named Rajeev Ram & Desirae Krawczyk who are both in the squad. Last year they played Pegula & Fritz in all but one match, even bizarrely in the QF and SF when they already had won the match. Krawczyk - 4 times GS mixed doubles champion - was in the squad last year also.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
Tomorrow 2am
Katie Boulter WR 56 vs Jessica Pegula (USA) WR 5
Cameron Norrie WR 18 vs Taylor Fritz (USA) WR 10
Katie Boulter & Neal Skupski CR 1381 (1372+9) vs Jessica Pegula & Taylor Fritz (USA/USA) CR 118 (3+115)

USA have not initially named Rajeev Ram & Desirae Krawczyk who are both in the squad. Last year they played Pegula & Fritz in all but one match, even bizarrely in the QF and SF when they already had won the match. Krawczyk - 4 times GS mixed doubles champion - was in the squad last year also.

I think this is one where it is hard to seeing us winning - I would be gobsmacked if Katie wins her singles, so it needs Cam to win against Fritz, which is possible. Mixed I guess we will then see.

All on Cam though.

Babfive · Pro player

Wow! Katie has beaten Pegula 5-7 6-4 6-4 biggrin

Cam is 6-7(5) 3-2*

Babfive · Pro player

Can lost 6-7(5) 4-6

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/67851879 Katie's match sounds like she made an incredible fight back in that second set.

Jan · Hall of fame

Amazing win for Katie!!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

That is a fabulous win for Katie, great stuff. Lets see if we can win the mixed now. A win and we are through - a loss and we end the group stage 3-3 in terms of matches and in the lap of the Gods.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Mixed - Neal and Katie took the opener, 6-1 , against Pegula and Fritz.

GBJ · Club Coach

Brits had at least 2 BP for a 5-4 lead but lost deciding point. They were also up a break at 2-1 but didn't check consolidate

-- Edited by GBJ on Sunday 31st of December 2023 08:53:42 AM