Daily Dose of Social Media: Swiatek calls for fans to back Poland in the United Cup, Taylor Fritz unveils bold blonde hair

Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most significant activities and Entertainment from ATP and WTA players. Iga Swiatek previewed her participation in the United Cup and asked for fan support for Poland.

Additionally, Stan Wawrinka shared his childhood dreams in a new ATP video, while Taylor Fritz surprised fans, and his girlfriend Morgan Riddle, with his new blonde hair. All this and more in a new day of social media highlights.

Swiatek calls for fans to back Poland in the United Cup

Iga Swiatek confirmed a few days ago that she will participate in the United Cup, which begins on December 29 and marks the start of the 2025 season. The world No. 2 will once again team up with Hubert Hurkacz and shared the reasons why people should support Poland in the upcoming United Cup in Australia, where the Polish team will try to improve on last year’s result when they lost the final to Germany.

“We are a great country with great people. Both me, Hubi (Hurkacz), and other players on the team are, I think, great. So with your support, we’re going to be even greater,” commented the 5-time Grand Slam champion in a promotional video for the tournament. “We almost won last year, so there’s a great chance we’re going to win this year,” she added.

Swiatek will be the highest-ranked female player in the tournament due to Aryna Sabalenka’s absence. Additionally, Swiatek recently confirmed her participation in the Billie Jean King Cup, which could see her finish this year’s season between November 15 and 20. Swiatek would have just over a month to take a short break and begin preseason preparations before the first tournament of the next season.

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Leylah Fernandez steals the spotlight during Japan Open fan-day

Leylah Fernandez is enjoying her time in Tokyo while participating in the Japan Open and shared some of the promotional activities from recent days. The 2021 US Open runner-up signed autographs during the fan-day and was one of the tournament’s most warmly received stars, entering as the 8th seed.

The Canadian secured wins over Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Varvara Gracheva, advancing to the quarterfinals as she closes in on finishing the season within the top 30. Fernandez now awaits the winner between Zheng Qinwen (first seed) and local player Moyuka Uchijima. She could have a rematch with the 21-year-old Chinese player after her defeat in the Wuhan Open, where tensions arose following a heated exchange of words between Zheng and Leylah’s father, who is also her coach, visibly upsetting the world No. 34.

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Wawrinka opens up about early career aspirations

Stan Wawrinka revealed his childhood dream in a new ATP video. The 3-time Grand Slam champion admitted in a recent interview shared on social media that “to be a professional tennis player, my dream was to be inside the top 100 in the world.” The Swiss player is currently at the Swiss Indoors Open, a tournament where he made his debut in 2003 at just 18 years old. This time, at 39, he is awaiting his first-round match against Adrian Mannarino.

When asked about his long career and whether he expected to play professionally for so many years, the former world No. 3 said: “First, I was hoping that it would start, really start, and that I could really play at a high level,” he said with a laugh.

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Taylor Fritz stuns fans with new blonde look

Taylor Fritz surprised fans on social media by unveiling his new blonde hair. The American No. 1 opted for a bold look that sparked a reaction from his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, who was also surprised by the unexpected transformation of the US Open runner-up.

“Would just like everyone to know I was also blindsided by this,” Riddle joked on Instagram. “When I open my phone to DMs that my boyfriend looks like Diplo now.”

Fritz still has the Paris Masters ahead, which is the only tournament confirmed for him before the season ends. Nevertheless, the world No. 6 is in a strong position to qualify for the ATP Finals, which would be his second participation after reaching the semifinals in 2022. He is currently 5th in the Race with 4,290 points, while the qualification cut-off is at 4,715 points.

Bastien Fachan

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Welcome to Taylor Fritz' blonde era

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Schwartzman shows off football jerseys and trophies as retirement nears

Diego Schwartzman showed off the most cherished part of his home, featuring all his trophies and several football jerseys. The former world No. 8 announced a few months ago that he will retire at the upcoming Argentina Open in early 2025, after injuries complicated his last few years. Schwartzman is currently ranked world No. 369 and hasn't participated in many tournaments throughout the year.

After competing in a few main draws during the clay swing, the Argentine couldn't progress past the qualifiers at the French Open or Wimbledon. However, he had the privilege of playing his last Grand Slam main draw at the US Open, his final tournament this season, where he came through qualifying but lost to Frenchman Gael Monfils (7-6, 2-6, 2-6, 1-6).

As he prepares for a new chapter in life, following his engagement to his girlfriend, ‘El Peque’ shared a glimpse of his home’s decoration, including his awards, football jerseys (especially those from the national team on Instagram), and relaxing moments with his dog.

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Kostyuk relaunches foundation to support Ukrainian children's sports

Marta Kostyuk announced the relaunch of her foundation to support sports for children in Ukraine. The 22-year-old tennis player from Kyiv has been a significant activist for her country since the beginning of the war, frequently criticizing Russian and Belarusian players for not speaking out against the conflict.

The world No. 18 last competed in the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open, where she reached the round of 16 before suffering a decisive loss to Coco Gauff (4-6, 1-6). Kostyuk then ended her season and traveled to Ukraine during her time off, taking the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and secure an agreement with her foundation.

“This week, I have many important meetings to further develop and promote tennis in Ukraine,” she captioned. “A big thank you to the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for supporting our vision. We have signed a memorandum of understanding and are looking forward to fruitful cooperation,” Marta Kostyuk added.