ARGUABLY the toughest group to try and predict the result of, home nation Australia looms as favourite to advance at the 2025 United Cup. The doubles pairing of the green and gold as opposed to Great Britain and Argentina should make the difference with top ranked men’s singles player Alex de Minaur well clear, though teammate Olivia Gadecki is ranked well below her two women’s singles opponents.

GROUP F – SYDNEY

GREAT BRITAIN:

Billy Harris
Katie Boulter
Jan Choinski (Backup singles)
Yuriko Lily Miyazaki (Backup singles)
Chris Broom (Doubles)
Olivia Nicholls (Doubles)

Great Britain does have enough to suggest it has a chance of advancing, or at the very least, be in with a good shot of being a wildcard shot. Newly engaged Boulter will take on her fiancee de Minaur’s side, though expect Boulter to rack up two wins in Sydney. Harris is a wildcard for the Brits given the higher ranked compatriots opted not to play – such as Jack Draper – while the doubles are specialist in that field. Should beat Argentina, but easily could win both, or lose both.

Prediction: 2nd in group / wildcard chance

AUSTRALIA:

Alex de Minaur
Olivia Gadecki
Omar Jasika (Backup singles)
Destanee Aiava (Backup singles)
Matthew Ebden (Doubles)
Ellen Perez (Doubles)

On home soil the Australians should get through despite their struggling WTA Tour cohort at the moment. With a plethora of players ranked 20 places either side of the Top 100, there is a real evenness about the women’s field. The obvious choice in de Minaur for the men’s always helps, with the Top 10 talent looking that class above, and he goes to another level in green and gold. Ebden and Perez are class doubles players too, which helps when it ultimately gets to the deciding rubber.

Prediction: Win group

ARGENTINA:

Tomas Etcheverry
Nadia Podoroska
Thiago Agustin Tirante (Backup singles)
Maria Carle (Backup singles)
Guido Andreozzi (Doubles)

A great unknown with the Argentinians having a pretty strong one-two punch at the top end. If the event was on clay, the South American nation would be favourite, with Podoroska a Grand Slam semi-finalist and Etcheverry having had a very impressive last 18 months. Not quite as sure on the Australian hard court, for a third ranked team the Argentinians are not without a chance – especially with a specialist doubles player – but will go in as underdogs.

Prediction: 3rd in group