United Cup Past Champions: Everything You Need to Know
Highlights
- Team USA Sets the Standard: The United States has established itself as the dominant force in the competition’s early history, winning two of the first three titles (2023 and 2025) and showcasing incredible squad depth across both the ATP and WTA tours.
- Germany’s “Miracle” Comeback (2024): The 2024 final is remembered for one of the greatest escapes in team tennis, where Alexander Zverev saved two championship points against Hubert Hurkacz before teaming up with Laura Siegemund to steal the title from Poland in a decisive mixed doubles tiebreak.
- Poland’s Back-to-Back Heartbreak: Despite fielding superstars Iga Świątek and Hubert Hurkacz, Team Poland suffered consecutive defeats in the finals, losing a tight 2-1 battle to Germany in 2024 and falling 2-0 to the USA in 2025.
- Fritz as the Finals Specialist: American Taylor Fritz has proven to be the ultimate closer for his country, winning crucial, high-pressure singles matches in both the 2023 final (vs. Matteo Berrettini) and the 2025 final (vs. Hubert Hurkacz) to clinch the trophy.
- Coco Gauff’s Statement Win (2025): A pivotal moment in the tournament’s history occurred in the 2025 final, where Coco Gauff defeated World No. 2 Iga Świątek in straight sets, reversing their head-to-head trend and setting the stage for the USA’s second title.
The United Cup has rapidly established itself as a premier event on the global tennis calendar. Launched in 2023 as a replacement for the ATP Cup (and spiritual successor to the Hopman Cup), this mixed-gender team competition kicks off the tennis season with high stakes, national pride, and a unique format that unites the men’s and women’s tours.
Held across the Australian cities of Perth and Sydney, the tournament serves as a vital warm-up for the Australian Open while offering significant ATP and WTA ranking points. In just three editions, the United Cup has produced thrilling finales, dramatic comebacks, and a clear dominance by one nation.
Here is a comprehensive look at the past champions and the history of the United Cup finals.
2023: The United States Dominates the Inaugural Edition
- Champion: United States
- Runner-up: Italy
- Final Score: 4-0
The inaugural United Cup in 2023 set the tone for the competition, but the final itself was a masterclass in dominance by Team USA. Boasting a squad packed with top-tier talent—including Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, Frances Tiafoe, and Madison Keys—the Americans were heavy favorites throughout the tournament. They lived up to the hype, crushing opponents with a depth that no other nation could match.
The final, held at the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney, saw the United States face off against a passionate Italian team led by Matteo Berrettini and Martina Trevisan. While Italy had fought valiantly to reach the championship match, beating Greece in a tight semi-final, they ran into a brick wall against the Americans.
The Matches:
The tie began with Jessica Pegula facing Martina Trevisan. Pegula, coming off a stunning upset of World No. 1 Iga Świątek in the semi-finals, maintained her blistering form. She controlled the baseline rallies and overwhelmed the gritty Italian, winning 6-4, 6-2 to put the USA on the board.
The second rubber featured a highly anticipated clash between Frances Tiafoe and rising star Lorenzo Musetti. Tiafoe took the first set 6-2 with his signature flair and aggression. Disaster then struck for the Italians when Musetti was forced to retire early in the second set due to a shoulder injury. The retirement handed the USA a commanding 2-0 lead, leaving them just one win away from the trophy.
The decisive blow was struck by Taylor Fritz. In the battle of the No. 1 men, he faced the big-serving Matteo Berrettini. It was the most competitive match of the final, a tense serve-dominated affair that required two tiebreaks. Fritz held his nerve in the crucial moments, edging out Berrettini 7-6(4), 7-6(6). His victory clinched the title for the United States, sparking wild celebrations as the entire team rushed the court.
With the tie already decided, Madison Keys added the cherry on top, defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-2 to complete a 4-0 sweep. The mixed doubles match was not played, as the Americans had already secured a flawless victory.
2024: Germany’s Miracle Comeback
- Champion: Germany
- Runner-up: Poland
- Final Score: 2-1
If 2023 was about dominance, 2024 was about resilience. The second edition of the United Cup produced one of the most dramatic finals in recent team tennis history. Team Germany, led by Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber, had scraped through the group stages and survived multiple match points in the semi-finals against Australia. In the final, they faced the top-seeded Polish team, featuring the seemingly invincible Iga Świątek and Top-10 star Hubert Hurkacz.
Poland entered the final as heavy favorites, having breezed through the tournament. Germany, by contrast, looked exhausted, having played a marathon semi-final that finished in the early hours of the morning just the day before.
The Matches:
The final began as predicted. World No. 1 Iga Świątek dismantled former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber, who was returning from maternity leave. Świątek’s pace and precision were too much for the German veteran, and Poland took a 1-0 lead with a swift 6-3, 6-0 victory.
The championship seemed destined for Warsaw when Hubert Hurkacz faced Alexander Zverev in the men’s singles. Hurkacz took the first set in a tiebreak and looked sharp. The drama peaked in the second-set tiebreak when Hurkacz held two championship points on his racquet. A single point would have given Poland the title. However, Zverev produced a moment of magic, saving the match points—including a daring passing shot—to steal the set. Buoyed by the escape, Zverev broke Hurkacz late in the third set to win 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4, leveling the tie at 1-1.
The title came down to the mixed doubles: Zverev and Laura Siegemund (GER) vs. Hurkacz and Świątek (POL). It was a tense, high-quality affair. The German pair, arguably better versed in doubles tactics, took the first set, but the Polish superstars fought back to take the second. In the deciding match tiebreak, Germany surged ahead. Zverev’s power and Siegemund’s net skills proved a lethal combination, and they closed out the match 6-4, 5-7, 10-4.
Germany had completed the impossible, saving championship points to deny Poland and lift the United Cup trophy.
2025: The USA Reclaims the Throne
- Champion: United States
- Runner-up: Poland
- Final Score: 2-0
The 2025 edition saw a familiar narrative return: American dominance. The United States, eager to reclaim the title after a semi-final exit in 2024, brought another star-studded lineup. This time, the team was anchored by Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz.
Poland returned to the final for the second consecutive year, driven by the hunger to avenge their heartbreaking 2024 loss. Once again led by Iga Świątek and Hubert Hurkacz, they were the top seeds and looked formidable. The final was billed as a clash of titans—a showdown between two tennis superpowers.
The Matches:
The opening rubber was a blockbuster: Coco Gauff vs. Iga Świątek. In previous years, Świątek had dominated this head-to-head, but Gauff had turned the tide recently. The match lived up to its billing as a heavyweight fight. Gauff’s serve was impeccable, and her backhand was a weapon that kept Świątek on the defensive. In a composed and mature performance, Gauff defeated the World No. 2 in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. It was a massive statement win that put the pressure squarely on Poland’s men’s player.
The second match saw Taylor Fritz take on Hubert Hurkacz. Fritz, who had been the hero of the 2023 final, found himself in a similar position: win, and the cup belongs to the USA. The match was a serve-bot battle, with both men protecting their service games fiercely. Fritz took the first set, but Hurkacz responded by snatching the second.
The deciding third set was a nerve-wracking affair that went to a tiebreak. Fritz, displaying the clutch mentality that has solidified him as a top-ranked player, found the edges when it mattered most. He closed out the match 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4).
With an unassailable 2-0 lead, the United States secured their second United Cup title in three years. The mixed doubles match was not required to decide the winner. The victory cemented the USA’s reputation as the premier nation in mixed-gender team tennis, boasting a depth of talent that allows them to field championship-winning squads year after year.
Summary of Champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score | Decisive Moment |
| 2023 | United States | Italy | 4-0 | Taylor Fritz def. Matteo Berrettini in two tiebreaks. |
| 2024 | Germany | Poland | 2-1 | Zverev/Siegemund won the deciding mixed doubles tiebreak. |
| 2025 | United States | Poland | 2-0 | Coco Gauff upset Iga Świątek; Fritz sealed the win. |
Conclusion
In its short history, the United Cup has provided a perfect narrative arc for the start of the tennis season. It has highlighted the sheer depth of American tennis, with the USA winning two of the first three titles. It has also showcased the heartbreak of Poland, a nation with arguably the best female player in the world (Świątek) and a Top-10 male player (Hurkacz), yet finishing as runners-up in back-to-back years.
As the tournament continues to grow, the “United Cup curse” for Poland and the “United Cup dynasty” for the USA have become the key storylines fans will watch in 2026. For now, the trophy resides once again in the United States, a testament to their balanced dominance across both the ATP and WTA tours.
