"I'm forced a little": Iga Swiatek jokes about being made to watch men's matches during United Cup campaign

Iga Swiatek playfully remarked that her compatriot Hubert Hurkacz forces her to watch the men's matches amid the 2024 United Cup. The Polish duo entered the tournament as the top seeds, thanks to Swiatek's world No. 1 ranking and Hurkacz's No. 9, making them one of the favorites for the title.

The tournament's format pits nations against each other in matches featuring men's singles, women's singles, and mixed doubles. The rest of each country's team positions themselves in one corner of the court while cheering on their representative, as is customary in team tournaments.

The 4-times Grand Slam champion won her first match against the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (6-2, 6-2) and then watched 'Hubi' struggle to defeat Thiago Seyboth Wild (6-7, 6-2, 6-3). Finally, they teamed up to face 'Bia' and Marcelo Melo, and once again, the Poles secured the victory (6-4, 6-3).

In the press conference after the series, Swiatek joked about watching men's matches due to Hurkacz, something she isn't accustomed to: "I'm happy that I'm also able to watch men's singles a little bit. I mean, I can do that in other tournaments as well, but usually you don't find time to do that. Here I'm forced a little bit. I'm kidding," she said, smiling."

"Sorry," Hurkacz responded, eliciting laughter in the press conference.

Swiatek continued, saying that she enjoys cheering for her teammate in the United Cup: "I'm not forced. It's a part of the game here. I'm happy I can see how they play and learn a little bit. I love the team spirit because it's something different. We never have that on tour. We're usually on our own, so it's nice to have other players cheering for you," she said.

The Polish team will play their second series on January 1st against Spain. It will start with the men's match between Hurkacz and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 26). Then, Swiatek will be challenged by Sara Sorribes Tormo (No. 48). Finally, the mixed doubles will feature the same four players competing for the decisive point, aiming to advance to the quarterfinals of the United Cup.