6 February 2026 | Tennis West

The United Cup was back for a fourth time showcasing equality at the highest level of the sport, with over 63,000 spectators cheering on international tennis in Perth. Continuing with the format West Australian’s know and love, the format continued to be a hit with each tie determined in one session as well as including one men’s singles and one women’s singles match featuring the No.1 ranked singles players, followed by one mixed doubles match.   

Perth was treated to world class tennis once again with the likes of world no. 6 Taylor Fritz (USA) and up and coming stars like Flavio Cobolli (ITA) as well as retiring greats in Stan Wawrinka (SWI) in the men’s, while the women’s side also featured strong competition with world no. 3 Coco Gauff (USA), Jasmin Paolini (ITA) and overall United Cup MVP Belinda Bencic (SWI).  

Perth was drawn with the number one seeds USA which featured Taylor Fritz who returned to Perth for the third time and second timer Coco Gauff. Popular teams Greece, Spain and Great Britain returned to Perth after previously attending the tournament in past years. New to Perth were team Switzerland, Italy, France, Argentina and Japan.  The likes of Grand Slam winners Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka and in form players such as Belinda Bencic and Jasmin Paolini were crowd favourites. 

The United Cup started with the inaugural United Cup – Perth Celebrity ‘1 Point Slam’ before the Spain v Argentina tie. Celebrities included influencers such as Ozzyman Reviews, AFL and AFLW stars Andrew Gaff, Ash Brazill, Orlagh Lally, Janelle Cuthberson, Hockeyroos star Amy Lawton, and former athletes such as Brad Hogg and Mark Worthington plus a few fellow local WA State League talent. In the end, local player and current college tennis player for Lander University Brendan Jayaprakassh won and got the chance to go to Melbourne to qualify for the AO 1 Point Slam. 

Following on from the success of last year, more than 140 kids and 36 coaches across 18 coaching businesses received the opportunity to have a hit on centre court with their Hot Shots Kids before the start of each day’s play. This is an important opportunity to inspire the next generation of players. 

Coaching businesses including Tennis Excellence, Tennis Factory, Tennis HQ, Tiny Tots Tennis, Tennis Approach, Ace-It Tennis, The Tennis Pro, Perth Performance Tennis Academy, Tennis Academy Perth, Moore Tennis, Europe Tennis Academy, Break Point Tennis, Instyle Tennis Management and Play Tennis all participated in the activation.

Additionally, regional coaching providers, Megan Henry Tennis, Keith O’Brien Tennis & Albany Tennis Academy were involved with kids from throughout regional WA including players from Albany, Lake Grace, Narrogin, Wickepin, Corrigin, Beverley, Darkan, Mt Barker, Highbury, Tenterden, Williams, Wagin and Dumbleyung. 

Tennis West Tennis Development Officer – Coaching Joel Pleydell said “This opportunity is all about creating memorable experiences for the kids, parents, and club coaches. To have a hit on centre court at RAC Arena makes the kids feel like the pros for the day. Hopefully one day in the future they’ll get to step out on RAC Arena at the United Cup and be a ball-kid, referee or even play for their country.” 

On‑court interviews at the United Cup have become a powerful showcase of Tennis West’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, highlighting Blind and Low Vision tennis, wheelchair pathways, and LGBTQIA+ visibility alongside the sport’s rising stars. Jackson, one of our young First Nations players, shared his tennis journey while showcasing the cultural gift exchange our First Nations Training Squad players designed for each visiting team. The message sticks, made of Mungart Boorna (Raspberry Jam Gum Tree) from the Northern area, were painted on with the stories of the young players’ journeys through tennis and life. 

In collaboration with the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, Tennis West once again delivered United Cup Coin Toss opportunities for KidSport recipients ahead of each match. In addition, a small group of children from Perth Children’s Hospital were invited to be part of the United Cup excitement. 

Across the six-day event, 30 KidSport participants and three Perth Children’s Hospital children enjoyed an unforgettable, up-close experience with their sporting heroes while witnessing world-class tennis courtside. 

This exclusive opportunity included taking part in the official coin toss, receiving a Hot Shots Crew t-shirt and hat, meeting players and chair umpires on court, keeping the commemorative coin, and receiving a professional photograph to capture the moment. To further enhance the experience, each child was also joined courtside by a parent, allowing families to share in the atmosphere and excitement of the United Cup together. 

Tennis West received over 200 applications in June for kids aged 12 to 16 years of age to become ball kids at the United Cup. Trials were held during the year with 72 ball kids selected and split into three squads. at the conclusion of the United Cup in Perth, Sam Mitchell and Makaya Moylan were awarded the Summer of Tennis Leadership Award for best ballkid and participate as a ballkid at the Australian Open. 

While there was plenty of action on the court, there was lots of action off court with Tennis West running an activation zone inside the arena as well as outside where there were mini games such as table tennis, an interactive hit the target game, cultural performances and live music. 

Inside the arena, Speed Serve was introduced for the first time, allowing fans to test themselves against other fans to see who could hit the fastest serve.  

Kids completed a tennis passport where they had to find their local tennis club, guess the amount of tennis balls, have a hit with friends or coaches on the hot shot court, and write a message of support to the players. Over four thousand kids participated in the passport and postcards to players. 

During the United Cup, Tennis West hosted various breakfast functions to connect the event to the local tennis community.  

The teacher’s breakfast was attended by more than 150 teachers before the Great Britain and Japan tie. The Tennis West Schools team then delivered a presentation about the upcoming schools’ programs we have on offer in 2026. 

The President’s breakfast was well received with over 150 club representatives and guests in attendance before the Italy and France tie. Guests were joined by Head of Tennis Participation Kay-Leigh Nicholas and Tennis West CEO Olivia Birkett. 

The Women Leaders in Tennis function, led by Tennis Australia’s Women and Girls Coordinator for WA, Melanie Willows, provided an opportunity for 80 women leaders and coaches to hear from international netballer Caitlin Basset about her career. The women enjoyed networking over a light breakfast, followed by a day session at the United Cup. 

Finally, the Coaches breakfast saw 15 coaches awarded their certificates after graduating from the Trainee Coach Course, Development Coach Course and the Club Pro Course. The participants shared a great breakfast together at the Rydges Hotel, reflecting on the journey so far, and acknowledging the passion these coaches bring to our sport every day. 

To top it off, coaches were awarded tickets to watch Spain vs Argentina at the United Cup — a well-deserved experience to celebrate their achievements. 

Spectators were treated to some incredible tennis over the six days with the USA and Switzerland advancing to the semi-finals in Sydney after defeating Greece and Argentina respectfully. The United Cup proved to be more popular than ever as domestic broadcast was up 36% on last year’s United Cup with over 15 million hours watched year on year. 

For the players who participated and represented their countries in the United Cup, 46 played in the Australian Open singles main draw with 40% of players reaching at least the third round and five reaching the quarterfinals. 

A big thank you to the staff, volunteers, ball kids and officials for the hard work and countless hours that were dedicated to ensuring the event was a success and an unforgettable experience for the players and the Perth tennis community.