Zheng Qinwen set for United Cup 2025: Who are the other confirmed players?

The United Cup announced the first confirmed players for its 2025 edition. The mixed-gender tournament replaced the ATP Cup in 2022 and, like the previous Hopman Cup, features top ATP and WTA players competing for ranking points in preparation for the Australian Open.

This tournament offers a great opportunity to kick off the year competitively, with significant prize money and the chance to earn up to 500 points depending on performance. The champions were the United States in 2023 (4-0 win over Italy) and Germany in 2024 (2-1 win over Poland).

There are 18 teams that qualify based on the male and female rankings of their players. The first 6 countries qualify through the ATP ranking of their No. 1 male player, and another 6 countries qualify through the WTA ranking of their No. 1 female player.

The final six countries qualify based on the combined rankings of their No. 1 ATP and WTA representatives. Australia also has a reserved spot as the host nation in case they don’t qualify independently. Each team will consist of three or four players from each Tour.

The first confirmed players for the tournament were the Greeks Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas: “Representing Team Greece in a team competition like that at the beginning of the year allows me to be really patriotic and start the year very strong,” said Tsitsipas.

Additionally, Paris 2024 gold medallist Zheng Qinwen was confirmed to lead China, while Casper Ruud will also compete as Norway’s main player. “I’m delighted to be able to qualify China again for the United Cup,” said Zheng. “The United Cup presents a unique opportunity to play for our country in a mixed-team environment, similar to the Olympics, and we’re excited to share this experience together.”

Tournament Director Stephen Farrow anticipated a great event after announcing the first participants. Speaking about the Greek duo, he said: “Tsitsipas and Sakkari qualified Greece for the first two editions of the United Cup. They are both fan favourites and are looking forward to starting their year with us in 2025.”

He also highlighted the presence of Chinese player Zheng, one of the WTA’s biggest revelations in recent seasons, who participated in the 2024 edition: “Zheng had an incredible 2024. She reached the Australian Open final in January, won gold in Paris, and has maintained her Top 10 ranking throughout the year,” said Farrow. “She’s a great player and a big personality, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to the United Cup.”