Nick Kyrgios has welcomed the addition of the United Cup as “special” for tennis amid hopes the Wimbledon finalist will pair up with previous flame Ajla Tomljanovic in Sydney.
Australia will play pool matches towards Great Britain and Spain at Ken Rosewall Arena on December 29-30 and January 2-3 because the best-of-five-rubber groups’ occasion marks the long-awaited return of combined doubles at a daily tour cease.
The combined match would be the final rubber of ties, elevating the mouth-watering prospect that Kyrgios and former long-time girlfriend Tomljanovic might reunite on courtroom for Australia.
“I don’t play so much mixed doubles anymore but what I love about mixed doubles is, it’s for the fans.That’s the most important thing,” Kyrgios mentioned on Sunday.
“Seeing some of the best females in the world playing with the best males, it definitely provides some really good entertainment, how the male kind of lets the female do her thing on the court and not get in the way.
“That’s enjoyable to look at.”
Kyrgios and three-time grand slam quarter-finalist Tomljanovic, Australia’s respective men’s and women’s No.1s, will be joined by Alex de Minaur, Jason Kubler, Maddison Inglis, Zoe Hives and doubles aces John Peers and Australia’s playing co-captain Samantha Stosur.
“It’s only a nice occasion to have, an occasion the place females and males come collectively as one to characterize their nation,” Kyrgios mentioned.
“That’s extraordinarily essential. And for the followers. To have all the most effective athletes from around the globe collectively, I feel it is a very particular occasion.
“We don’t have very many events during the year where both males and females are in the same spot playing the one event together competing for prize money, a top title and representing your country all in one.”
Kyrgios taking over 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal in a real blockbuster looms as one of many highlights of the 11-day United Cup, which additionally contains group matches in Brisbane and Perth earlier than the quarter-finals onwards are staged in Sydney.
“To be honest, I haven’t really played well in Sydney but I’m hoping to change that narrative at the start of the year,” Kyrgios mentioned.
“Just playing in Australia is special. The tour is a long grind and it’s rarely in Australia so I’m definitely not going to take it for granted.”
Having sat out Davis Cup for the previous three years, in addition to the Tokyo Olympics, Kyrgios is representing Australia for the primary time for the reason that now-defunct ATP Cup in 2020.
