Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper will represent Great Britain at the 2026 United Cup, the mixed-teams tennis event that kicks off the Australian season in January. The tournament, taking place across Sydney and Perth, offers the exciting possibility of the British duo pairing in mixed doubles, while up to four more players may still join the national squad.
The United Cup will also mark the return of both British No.1s after injuries ended their 2025 seasons prematurely. Neither Raducanu nor Draper has previously competed in the tournament, making their debuts a highly anticipated highlight of the event. Raducanu, who withdrew from her remaining tournaments last month due to illness, said she was “honoured to make my United Cup debut in January. Playing for Team GB with my teammates is a unique opportunity. It’s exciting to experience this new format, represent my country, and spend a few extra weeks in Australia.”
Draper, who ended his season in September after an arm injury forced him to pull out of the US Open second round, echoed his teammate’s enthusiasm. “I’m really excited to get back on court at the United Cup. I’ll be keeping an eye on the draw to see if Team GB will play in Perth or Sydney. I haven’t been to either city before, so it will be fantastic to compete in a new location,” he said.
The fourth edition of the United Cup runs from January 2 to 11 and features 18 countries, each with squads of up to six players — three men and three women. Teams are divided into six groups, with three groups hosted in each city. The group winners and the two best runners-up advance to the quarter-finals. Each tie consists of one men’s singles match, one women’s singles match, and one mixed doubles match, meaning Raducanu and Draper could take to the court together depending on the final squad selection.
The tournament is sanctioned by both the ATP and WTA Tours and awards world ranking points for singles, providing a valuable competitive lead-up to the Australian Open, which begins with qualifying on January 12 and the main draw from January 18. Tournament director Stephen Farrow said: “Having British No.1s Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu line up for the first time adds new star power to the event and will excite fans around the world.” Draper had been scheduled to play in this year’s event but withdrew due to injury. Last year, Great Britain, represented by Katie Boulter, Billy Harris, Olivia Nicholls, and Charles Broom, topped their group before losing to Poland in the quarter-finals.
Alongside the British announcement, Australia confirmed Alex de Minaur and Maya Joint for their line-up, while Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz were already confirmed earlier this month. Swiatek and Hurkacz were runners-up in this year’s United Cup, losing to the American pairing of Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz. Organisers are expected to release the full list of countries and players ahead of the official draw on November 17, promising a star-studded start to the 2026 tennis season.
