Daily Dose of Social Media: Heartwarming Swiatek moment with Poland teammate, Coco Gauff leads Team USA’s champagne party at United Cup

With the United Cup concluded, Team USA — led by Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz — shared celebratory moments that we review in a new Daily Dose of Social Media. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek was part of a heartwarming moment with her teammate Maja Chwalinska during the final.

On the other hand, Elena Rybakina also bid an emotional farewell to the United Cup after a semifinals loss, Aryna Sabalenka joined in the celebrations for her Brisbane International title, and Russian players Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov enjoyed exploring Hong Kong’s attractions after their first tournament of the year.

Hurkacz proud despite Poland falling short in United Cup final

Hubert Hurkacz shared a heartfelt message on social media after Team Poland finished as runners-up at the United Cup for the second consecutive year. Just like in 2024, the Europeans came up short in the final after Iga Swiatek’s loss to Coco Gauff and Hurkacz’s defeat to Taylor Fritz, with Team USA taking the title. Nevertheless, the world No. 16 expressed his satisfaction with the team competition and pride in securing second place.

“Playing for your country comes with added pressure, but it’s an even greater privilege. We couldn’t bring the trophy home this time, but I’m proud of everything we achieved together! Thank you for all the incredible moments, for your unity, and for showing what it truly means to be a 🇵🇱team.”

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Heartwarming Swiatek moment with teammate Chwalińska

Perhaps the most unexpected result of the day was Coco Gauff’s straight-sets victory over Iga Swiatek. The Pole had dominated their head-to-head with 11 wins in 13 matches, but this time the American delivered her best tennis to defeat the world No. 2 in straight sets. At 4-6, 3-2 down, a heartwarming moment occurred as Swiatek shared a brief interaction with her compatriot Maja Chwalińska, who was part of the team as the WTA No. 2. The two have consistently displayed a close bond whenever they compete together for Poland.

Later, during the trophy ceremony, Swiatek was delivering a speech of gratitude to her team when she noticed her teammate laughing and interrupted herself. “What? Why are you laughing? She’s been laughing at me the whole week,” she said with a smile before passing the microphone to her teammate Hubert Hurkacz. “Wait, you should speak as well, ok, I’m sorry,” she added, prompting laughter from her team.

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USA pops the champagne as United Cup champions

Team USA clinched the United Cup title, successfully defending their 2023 crown. Following the trophy ceremony, they celebrated in grand style, led by Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, and Danielle Collins. On their way out of the ceremony, the team was greeted by ball boys forming a corridor of champions, applauding the victorious Americans.

Shortly afterward, the team gathered to celebrate inside the tournament facilities. Just minutes after securing the title, they popped multiple champagne bottles, drenching one another amid cheers. However, Coco Gauff had a bit of trouble opening her bottle, adding to the fun. Check out the amusing moments below.

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Brisbane crown and a sweet surprise for Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka posed for the champion's photoshoot at the Brisbane International after securing her first title of the season by defeating Polina Kudermetova in the final. The world No. 1 kicked off the season on the right note, posing with the trophy at night for the media and thanking Australian fans for their support.

“Hi guys, I’m here with this beautiful trophy. I couldn’t be happier. Thank you for your support, I really enjoyed playing here in front of you, and I hope to see you next year. Bye!” she said in her first video with the trophy.

The Belarusian will travel to Melbourne next to prepare for the Australian Open, where she is the two-time defending champion and aims to maintain her perfect streak at the start of the season. “Starting 2025 on the right foot 💪🏼 Thank you, Brisbane! 🫶🏼,” she posted later with a set of photos from the trophy ceremony alongside her team. Sabalenka also received a celebratory cake from the tournament organizers as part of her title celebrations.

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Rybakina’s United Cup reel captures team spirit and joyful moments

Elena Rybakina shared a reel highlighting her United Cup experience, where she led Kazakhstan to an unprecedented semifinal finish before being eliminated by Poland. The 2022 Wimbledon champion appeared especially joyful during the team competition, sharing moments both on and off the court with her Kazakh teammates as they explored Australia.

The world No. 6 played four matches in total, securing three victories and suffering only one defeat to Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. Despite the loss, the "Ice Queen" was delighted with her time in Perth and Sydney and is now set to travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open, where she reached the final in 2023. “Thank you all for the incredible time together, shared victories and a decent result at the tournament, fun evenings, and a great mood every day 🫶🏻,” she posted.

Rublev and Khachanov explore Hong Kong after early singles exits

Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov enjoyed a cultural trip through Hong Kong following their participation in the year’s first ATP 250 tournament. The Russian tennis stars visited the city’s cable car, an amusement park, and the zoo, where they were seen feeding fish and observing penguins and a panda bear up close.

Despite starting as tournament favourites — Rublev as the first seed and Khachanov as the third — both faced early exits in singles. Khachanov was defeated in the first round by former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori, while Rublev suffered a surprising loss to Fabian Marozsan. However, the pair teamed up in doubles and achieved a strong result, reaching the final before falling to doubles specialists Sander Arends and Luke Johnson.

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(VIDEO): Iga Swiatek's unusual handshake after Coco Gauff's thumping win in United Cup final

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