Christmas across the tennis world: Fritz and Gauff tunes up before United Cup, De Minaur–Boulter celebrations & Korda family moment

Christmas celebrations continue as ATP and WTA stars shared new photos and videos of their respective festivities around the world, which we review in a new Daily Dose of Social Media.

This edition features updates from Taylor Fritz as he prepares for his title defense at the United Cup, alongside a look at how tennis couples and families, such as Alex de Minaur with Katie Boulter and the Korda siblings, spent their holidays. We also check in on Qinwen Zheng and Felix Auger-Aliassime as they gear up for the challenges of the 2026 season.

Taylor Fritz also celebrated the holidays, sharing a post of himself opening gifts on Christmas morning this Thursday, December 25. The World No. 6 is preparing for the start of his season at the United Cup, where he will reunite with Coco Gauff—just as he did at the beginning of 2025—in search of defending the international title they secured for the USA when they defeated Poland's Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz in the final with wins in their respective singles matches.

Fritz will take the United Cup as his only preparatory tournament for the Australian Open, where he is defending a third-round appearance from 2025, when he fell surprisingly to Gael Monfils. His best performance at the event remains the quarterfinals in 2024, where he was eliminated by Novak Djokovic.

Coco Gauff shared a glimpse of her Christmas celebrations on social media, taking a moment to relax with family during the holidays. The American star is enjoying the festivities before heading to Australia for the start of the 2026 season. The 2-time Gand Slam finalis is set to reunite with Fritz at the upcoming United Cup, where the pair will aim to defend the title they won for Team USA in 2025. Following the team event, she will shift her focus to the Australian Open, looking to add another major title to her collection as one of the top contenders on the tour.

Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter posted a photo together celebrating Christmas, taking advantage of the short off-season to reconnect. The couple, who announced their engagement a year ago, have made it a tradition to support each other during tour breaks. This festive pause comes after a season of mixed fortunes for the pair.

De Minaur enjoyed a stellar 2025, reaching the quarterfinals in three consecutive Grand Slams and winning the ATP 500 title in Washington. He cemented his place among the tour's elite by finishing the year as World No. 7 following a semifinal run at the ATP Finals. Conversely, Boulter faced a more difficult year, seeing her ranking drop to No. 106 as she struggled to defend points from her breakout 2024 season, although she did secure a WTA 125 title in Paris. Both players are now preparing for the Australian summer swing.

"Santa’s little helpers 🎄✨ Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas ❤️"

Sebastian Korda shared a festive photo alongside his sisters, LPGA stars Nelly and Jessica Korda, marking the holiday season with a family gathering. The post highlights the close bond between the siblings, who often support each other's sporting careers, with Sebastian recently attending Nelly's tournament wins. This family time comes at the end of a busy year for the American tennis player.

Korda is currently ranked No. 48 in the world after a season interrupted by a shin stress fracture that forced him to miss Wimbledon. Despite the setbacks in 2025, he has been working on his recovery and recently announced his engagement to Ivana Nedved. As the 2026 season approaches, he will be looking to regain the form that took him to a career-high ranking of No. 15 earlier in 2024.

"Merry Christmas from your favorite trio 🎄❤️"

Qinwen Zheng posted a festive update on her social media channels to wish her followers a happy holiday season. The post shows the Chinese tennis star enjoying a moment of respite during the off-season. The past year proved to be difficult for Zheng, who spent a significant portion of the season sidelined due to injury. These physical struggles limited her match play and led to a consequent drop in her world ranking.

As the 2026 season approaches, her primary focus is on regaining full fitness and rebuilding the form that previously established her as a top contender on the tour. The former World No. 4 has no confirmed tournaments leading up to the Australian Open, meaning she will arrive without competitive rhythm to the first major of the year, where she reached the final in 2024.

"My December moment. Merry Christmas🎁⭐️🎄Let’s keep working and keep getting better👊🏼👊🏼"

Felix Auger-Aliassime posted a Christmas update, marking the holidays before the intensity of the tennis calendar returns. The Canadian player often uses this time to reconnect with family and friends before traveling for the Australian summer swing. This downtime is crucial for Auger-Aliassime as he looks to reset mentally and physically for the challenges of the new year.

The upcoming season presents an opportunity for Auger-Aliassime to climb back up the rankings and challenge for major titles. He has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, including helping Canada to Davis Cup glory, and will be aiming to find consistent form starting in January.

"Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the sky 🎄✈️ 🇦🇺Recharged with good family time and ready to get going in Australia"