2026 United Cup Captains Announced: All You Need to Know
SYDNEY/PERTH — The 2026 United Cup is set to open the new tennis season with a spectacular collision of past and present, as the tournament unveiled a star-studded lineup of captains for its fourth edition.
Running from January 2–11 across Perth and Sydney, the innovative mixed-team competition will feature 18 countries competing under the guidance of some of the sport’s most respected figures. Leading the charge are Grand Slam champions Lleyton Hewitt and Stan Wawrinka, along with British tennis icon Tim Henman.
Star Power on the Sidelines and the Court
In a unique twist for the Swiss team, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will serve as a playing captain. He will lead Switzerland in Group C in Perth, playing alongside World No. 11 Belinda Bencic. They face a tough draw against Italy, captained by Stefano Cobolli, and France, which will be guided by former Top 10 star Lucas Pouille.
Tim Henman, the man who sparked a British tennis revival in the 1990s, returns to captain Great Britain in Group E. Henman will look to steer a squad featuring World No. 10 Jack Draper and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu out of a group that includes Greece and Japan. Japan, making their United Cup debut, will be led by former player Go Soeda and headlined by four-time major winner Naomi Osaka.
In Sydney, Australian favorites will rally behind former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in Group D. The two-time Grand Slam champion will look to guide Alex de Minaur and the Aussie squad past Czechia and Norway.
Family Ties and Doubles Specialists
The 2026 edition also highlights deep family connections within the sport. Several teams feature father-son captain-player duos, including Germany’s Alexander Zverev Sr. coaching his son, World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, and Norway’s Christian Ruud guiding his son, Casper Ruud. Additionally, Greece sees a brotherly alliance with Petros Tsitsipas captaining the team led by his brother, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Meanwhile, Canada (Seed No. 2) has appointed Top 10 doubles star Gabriela Dabrowski to lead a powerful team featuring World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime and teenage sensation Victoria Mboko in Group B.
Full 2026 United Cup Captains List
Below is the complete confirmed list of countries, lead players, and captains for the 2026 United Cup:
| Seed | Country | No. 1 Player | Captain | Host City |
| 1 | USA | Coco Gauff | Michael Russell | Perth |
| 2 | Canada | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Gabriela Dabrowski | Sydney |
| 3 | Italy | Jasmine Paolini | Stefano Cobolli | Perth |
| 4 | Australia | Alex de Minaur | Lleyton Hewitt | Sydney |
| 5 | Great Britain | Jack Draper | Tim Henman | Perth |
| 6 | Germany | Alexander Zverev | Alexander Zverev Sr. | Sydney |
| 7 | Belgium | Elise Mertens | Christopher Heyman | Sydney |
| 8 | France | Arthur Rinderknech | Lucas Pouille | Perth |
| 9 | Poland | Iga Swiatek | Mateusz Terczynski | Sydney |
| 10 | Spain | Jaume Munar | Miguel Sanchez | Perth |
| 11 | Czechia | Barbora Krejcikova | Jiri Novak | Sydney |
| 12 | Greece | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Petros Tsitsipas | Perth |
| 13 | Japan | Naomi Osaka | Go Soeda | Perth |
| 14 | Argentina | Sebastian Baez | Sebastian Gutierrez | Perth |
| 15 | Netherlands | Tallon Griekspoor | Tallon Griekspoor | Sydney |
| 16 | Switzerland | Belinda Bencic | Stan Wawrinka | Perth |
| 17 | Norway | Casper Ruud | Christian Ruud | Sydney |
| 18 | China | Zhu Lin | Di Wu | Sydney |
