ANDY MURRAY has given his backing to a new mixed-gender tennis team tournament that will launch in Australia over the New Year.
The United Cup – an 11-day event compromising of 18 nations – will begin on Thursday December 29 and act as the curtain-raiser to the next tennis season.
Ties will take place in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney – first in a round-robin format and then a knockout stage – and teams will comprise of up to four men and four women
The total prize money pot will be £13million and if Britain qualify, it would mean the prospect of national No.1s Cameron Norrie and Emma Raducanu playing mixed doubles together.
It replaces the popular Hopman Cup exhibition, which famously saw Roger Federer and Serena Williams share a court and a selfie on New Year̢۪s Day in 2019.
Former world No.1 Murray – who is 49th in the world rankings – said: “It’s something that’s been missing from our calendar for a while.
“I love to see the men and women competing together on the same court as well. It’s something that I’m very excited about.
“We are the only sort of global sport where the men and women compete at the same venues at the same time for the biggest tournaments.
“And I think that that’s something that’s really special about our sport and should be celebrated.
“Events like this will help bring all of the governing bodies closer together and it’ll be a unique event for our sport.
“I’m sure all the players will be extremely passionate about competing for their countries.
“You’ll see the men and women working together and supporting each other all the way through, which will be really cool.
“Bringing all of the players over to Australia as early as possible is good for the Aussie summer.
“Sometimes at the beginning of the year, there are tournaments going on in other parts of the world as well.
“To get lots of the top players on the men’s and the women’s side across to Australia early and preparing there, it’s going to be really beneficial for the whole summer and especially the Australian Open.â€
Individuals will qualify their nations via the ATP and WTA world rankings while Australia have guaranteed entry as the host nation.
Each tie comprises two men̢۪s and two women̢۪s singles matches and one mixed doubles clash.
Like with next month’s Davis Cup in Malaga and BJK Cup Finals in Glasgow, Russia and Belarus are both banned due to the ongoing war in Ukraine – but individuals like Daniil Medvedev can play at the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic, the reigning Wimbledon champion, could qualify Serbia̢۪s spot by the November 7 entry deadline.
Yet his participation in Oz is subject to approval by federal government after he was kicked out of the country last January following a vaccination immigration row.
