GROUP F rounds out our 2022 United Cup preview series leading up the brand new event taking place across three Australian cities. Group A and Group F are in Perth, with Group B and Group E in Brisbane, and Group C and Group D are in Sydney. There are 18 teams battling it out for ultimate glory in the first ever extended five-match men’s and women’s combined team event.

HOW THE NATIONS WERE DECIDED

The first 12 nations were picked based on their highest ranked player, both from an ATP and WTA standpoint. That means the nations of six highest ATP ranked players who nominated, and the six highest WTA ranked players who nominated earned spots in the event. From there, the remaining six nations were based off a combined ATP and WTA ranking to complete the field of 18.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT?

The event features five matches per ‘tie’ with four singles and a doubles, the same format as a Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. The number one male singles players face off, as do the number one female singles players. Then it’s the number two male singles players, and then number two female singles players. Finally, the fifth match is a mixed doubles match between two chosen players from each nation, likely the top ranked talents.

GROUP F TEAMS

FRANCE

France qualified via the WTA Tour ranking with fourth ranked Caroline Garcia leading the charge. Coming off a maiden WTA Finals victory off the back of a breakthrough season, she leads a strong one-two punch of herself and Alize Cornet in the singles. While France’s ATP group will be minus Ugo Humbert, the men still have Arthur Rinderknech and Adrian Mannarino, as well as doubles specialist Edouard Roger-Vasselin so potentially all the nation’s representatives are inside the top 50.

CROATIA

Croatia is known for its successful Davis Cup team, and though there is no Marin Cilic, top 30 ATP singles player Borna Coric headlines the nation, while his WTA counterpart is world number 39 Petra Martic. The second doubles players of Borna Gojo and Donna Vekic are inconsistent but have the potential to do damage. Still, it will be difficult for the Croatians to upstage the French.

ARGENTINA

The South Americans are known for their solid Davis Cup lineup, but less so their Billie Jean King Cup team, and it is the case again at the United Cup. Two top 30 singles players in Diego Schwartzman and Francisco Cerundolo is a good one-two punch, while Andres Molteni as the men’s specialist doubles player is another tick. On the women’s side, Nadia Podoroska (39th in the world) is the only player inside the Top 150.

PREDICTION

France seem the obvious choice with depth across the board, and would be tipped to advance through to the next stage of the event, the Host City Finals.