Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu are kicking off their 2026 season with a bang, teaming up for Great Britain in the United Cup, a mixed-gender team tournament in Australia. Their first opponent? Japan, led by Naomi Osaka, on January 4 at Perth’s RAC Arena. Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, will face Osaka, while Draper takes on Shintaro Mochizuki, ranked World No. 100. The following day, they’ll clash with Greece, featuring Stefanos Tsitsipas (Draper) and Maria Sakkari (Raducanu)
This partnership is a game-changer for Team GB, marking their most magnetic pairing in the United Cup’s history. Both players are riding high after impressive 2025 seasons – Draper’s Indian Wells title and top-4 ranking, and Raducanu cracking the top 30 for the first time since 2021. Their chemistry is palpable, with Draper praising Raducanu as “extremely bubbly, very kind, and smart”
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The United Cup format is thrilling: each tie includes one men’s singles, one women’s singles, and a mixed doubles match. With 18 nations competing, the stakes are high. Raducanu and Draper are hungry for success, aiming to build momentum before the Australian Open. “I’m honored to play for Team GB,” Raducanu said, while Draper’s excited to debut in a new city ⁶ ⁷.
*Tournament Details:*
– *United Cup 2026*: January 2-11, Perth and Sydney
– *Team GB Opponents*:
– *Japan* (Jan 4): Naomi Osaka vs. Raducanu, Shintaro Mochizuki vs. Draper
– *Greece* (Jan 5): Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Draper, Maria Sakkari vs. Raducanu
– *Format*: Mixed-gender teams, round-robin + knockout
This is more than a tournament – it’s a statement of intent from British tennis’s dynamic duo. Can they spark a GB tennis revival?
