Danielle Collins recalls Australian Open controversy, Andreeva bonds with koalas as Zverev & Swiatek headline United Cup fun

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, the 2026 season is already underway with the start of the United Cup, although several teams took advantage of the day before their debut to visit attractions in cities such as Perth and Sydney. The German team, led by Alexander Zverev and Eva Lys, and the Polish team, featuring Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz, shared several fun team moments ahead of their opening matches at the tournament.

On the other hand, Danielle Collins shared a recap of her 2025 season, recalling a controversial moment from the most recent Australian Open, where she mocked the big pay cheque she would receive for her appearance at the tournament. In addition, Venus Williams shared new photos from her wedding, while Mirra Andreeva enjoyed a peculiar day in Brisbane, where she was seen petting koalas.

As in previous years, United Cup teams enjoyed a fun media day, during which they explored the attractions of Australian cities through team outings, visiting some of the country’s major landmarks ahead of their debuts. Two-time finalists Poland were at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and took a boat ride, later sharing several photos on social media showing smiling team members led by six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek and former world No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz.

Another team that also showcased strong chemistry off court was Germany, with Alexander Zverev as the main figure of the team, along with the inclusion of German women’s No. 1 Eva Lys. The 23-year-old provided a humorous moment when the German team prepared to take a dip at Wylie’s Baths, but Lys was the only one who did not dare to take the final step, drawing laughter from her teammates.

Venus Williams once again shared previously unseen photos from her wedding, showing her family taking part in a photoshoot, as well as the family of her husband, Andrea Petri. The images also include moments from the ceremony itself, a photoshoot taken on tennis courts, and the presence of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, along with the rest of the Williams sisters.

Danielle Collins shared photos welcoming her nephew, showing the former world No. 8 smiling alongside the newborn baby. The 2024 Miami Open champion later posted a particular recap video highlighting her best moments of 2025, in which she recalled a notable situation from the most recent Australian Open.

During that tournament, Collins was booed by the Australian crowd during her match against local player Destanee Aiava, in a controversial encounter that ended with Collins blowing kisses to the crowd. At the time, the American reacted with humour and ironically left a message for the fans who booed her during and after the match.

“Every person that's bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it's all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund,” she said.

“Me and my group of girlfriends love a five-star vacation,” she added. “I can guarantee you that check is going to go towards our next five-star trip, hopefully to The Bahamas. We like big boats, we like big boats, we like yachts. We'll post about it, let you guys know how it goes.”

World No. 9 Mirra Andreeva is already set for her return to the courts and enjoyed a fun day ahead of the start of the Brisbane International, which will be her first tournament of the year. The 18-year-old will be the sixth seed at the first WTA 500 event of the season, where she will share the draw with stars such as Aryna Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, and Elena Rybakina.

In a recent video published on the tournament’s social media accounts, Andreeva is seen visiting the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, one of the city’s main tourist attractions, which is home to more than 100 koalas and several other native Australian animals. Andreeva spent time interacting closely with the koalas, showing her love for animals by petting a koala during the tournament’s media day, as well as feeding kangaroos during her visit.

Alex de Minaur is ready for his return to competition at home and is preparing for his debut at the United Cup, where he will team up with teenager Maya Joint. The world No. 7 begins the Australian swing arguably in the best moment of his career, following a strong 2025 season that he closed by reaching the ATP Finals semifinals for the first time and finishing with his best year-end ranking so far.

The Australian will enter the Aussie swing as the country’s main local hope and will make his United Cup debut this Saturday against Norway’s Casper Ruud. Three days later, Australia will face the Czech Republic, led by 2025 Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik as their main men’s singles player, along with the presence of two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Nick Kyrgios shared a photo with a particular message on social media as he waits for his debut at the Brisbane International, a tournament where he received a wildcard from the organisation. The 30-year-old is preparing for his official return to the courts for his first appearance on Australian soil since March of last year, when he reached the second round before being eliminated by Karen Khachanov.

Kyrgios is still waiting to find out whether he will receive one of the Australian Open wildcards, with three spots yet to be announced in the coming days. The Australian Open doubles champion from 2022 is currently ranked world No. 670, and his appearance in Brisbane could be a factor for Australian Open organisers in assessing whether he is at a competitive level to be included in the main draw of the Happy Slam.

His most recent on-court appearance was the recent exhibition Battle of the Sexes, where he claimed a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Aryna Sabalenka, although the match was conditioned by its particular format and circumstances, and did not require Kyrgios to expend excessive effort to secure the win. “I’m doing whatever I want again this year,” he posted.