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The 2024 tennis season will restart with the United Cup and the long-awaited return to the court of Naomi Osaka, after the break due to her pregnancy. The new event, which replaced the ATP Cup, sees both players from the men’s circuit and the men’s women’s circuit take to the field, together representing the same flag.
As in the first edition, it will take place between the old and new years: It will start on 29 December 2023 and will end on 7 January 2024. The first team certain to participate is Australia, who received a wild card as they are the hosts the tournament.
Not only that: according to what Eurosport reports, the Italian team has already released the list of its participants. And they are Lorenzo Sonego and Jasmine Paolini. The two were not present in the previous edition, where Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Sonego took to the field for the men’s and Martina Trevisan and Lucia Bronzetti for the women’s.
The reigning champions also return with a Dream Team. The United States will be led by Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula, both protagonists again in 2023, and with them there will be Ram, Krawczyk, Dolehide.
Naomi Osaka’s long-awaited comeback is almost a reality
The same goes for Poland: there are the respective number ones of the two circuits, namely Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz. And the same goes for Greece, which brings Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, two top 10 players who were Italy’s opponents in the last edition. For Japan, as mentioned above, Naomi Osaka returns, who will prepare her return to the stage after injuries and above all motherhood.
Speaking of the latter, there is Angelique Kerber with Alexander Zverev. For Canada, Felix Auger Aliassime and Leylah Fernandez cannot be missing. For now, Spain will not present either Carlos Alcaraz or Rafael Nadal.
Davidovich Fokina leads Spain, with Sara Sorribes Tormo replacing Paula Badosa. Croatia brings on the field Donna Vekic and Borna Coric, both also present in the last edition; the Czech Republic will field Lehecka for the men’s team and for the women’s team it will rely on the champion of the last edition of Wimbledon, Marketa Vondrousova.
