United Cup, Day 3 Preview: Zverev-Griekspoor, Paolini-Bencic, Cobolli-Wawrinka on tap
Plus: Auger-Aliassime and Mboko bid to get Canada off to a winning start against China.
New year, new hair…new serve? That was the question on Saturday night as Coco Gauff, with a fiery new coif, took the court for the first time in 2026, as the U.S. began its United Cup title defense.
The answer, for one day at least, was a qualified yes. Gauff did throw in her share of double faults—including two in a row at one point during her singles win over Solana Sierra. But to my eye her motion on her first serve looked a little smoother, with a little more coordinated acceleration, than it has in the past. What matters, of course, is the end result: Gauff won her singles and doubles matches in straight sets to lead the States to a 2-1 victory over Argentina.
📲🖥️ Stream the 2026 United Cup on the Tennis Channel App!
Elsewhere on the second day of United Cup, Australia edged Norway, Switzerland swept France, and China came back to beat Belgium in a super-tiebreaker in the doubles. The most notable victory may have been 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka’s over France’s Arthur Rinderknech, 7-5 in a third-set tiebreaker.
I went 3-1 prediction-wise; China’s close victory was the only surprise to me. Here’s a look at what’s happening on Day 3.
Who’s playing who?
Perth
Day Session: Great Britain vs. Japan (10:00 A.M. local; 9:00 P.M. ET)
Evening Session: Italy vs. Switzerland (5:00 P.M. local; 4:00 A.M. ET)
Sydney
Day Session: Germany vs. Netherlands (10:30 A.M local, 6:30 P.M ET)
Evening Session: Canada vs. China (5:30 P.M. local, 1:30 A.M. ET)
Read more: Naomi Osaka carries off-season illness into United Cup debut
Who to watch
Eva Lys: How high can the Kiev native, who plays for Germany, rise this season? She’s 23, which isn’t a spring chicken in tennis years, but last year she improved her ranking from 105 to a career-high 40. That run started Down Under, too, when she became the first lucky loser on the women’s side to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open. She’ll begin her 2026 campaign against Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands.
Alexander Zverev vs. Tallon Griekspoor: Zverev leads their head-to-head 8-2, but their matches tend to be very close and very long.
Victoria Mboko and Felix Auger-Aliassime: Canada may have the most promising, or at least the most intriguing, team in United Cup. Mboko and Auger-Aliassime each stunned the world in their own ways in 2025: Mboko by winning Montreal in ultra-dramatic fashion, in front her home fans; FAA with a meteoric and unexpected late-season rise into the Top 5. They’ll start their 2026 seasons against a possibly tired Chinese team.
Jasmine Paolini vs. Belinda Bencic: They’re ranked No. 8 and 11, respectively, their head-to-head is 2-2, and they’re both on the outside edge of the Grand Slam title conversation for 2026.
Wawrinka vs. Flavio Cobolli: How much will the 40-year-old Swiss have left after a marathon win the previous day? He’ll need a lot to stay with his 23-year-old opponent.
Read more: Wawrinka becomes fifth man in Open Era to win a match in 23 different seasons
Editor's Note: Emma Raducanu was due to face Naomi Osaka, before withdrawing ahead of their match. She was replaced by teammate Katie Swan
Who’s going to win?
Germany d. Netherlands 2-1
Canada d. China 2-1
Japan d. Great Britain 2-1
Italy d. Switzerland 3-0