The United Cup reaches its final day of group stage play on Tuesday, Jan. 6, with three decisive ties set to determine which teams advance to the quarterfinals from each group. The action spans Perth and Sydney across both cities, featuring compelling matchups.
United Cup Day 5 Schedule
ATP No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime will lead Canada against Belgium, along with a blockbuster night session in Sydney where Australia takes on Czechia, headlined by Alex de Minaur and 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková.
With Switzerland already securing the top spot in Group C and Germany confirmed as the Group F leaders after their dominant performances earlier in the tournament, the remaining spots remain up for grabs across the three groups competing on the final day. Teams must finish strong to earn their place in the knockout rounds as the competition inches closer to the quarterfinals.
Italy and France meet at RAC Arena starting at 10:00 am local time in what figures to be a decisive Group C encounter. Both nations sit below Switzerland in the standings and need a strong showing to position themselves favorably in the final group standings.
Flavio Cobolli opens the proceedings against Arthur Rinderknech in the men’s singles match. The Italian ATP No. 22 carries significant momentum into this tie after defeating legendary Swiss player Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(4) in a thrilling three-set battle. Cobolli has proven himself capable of competing at the highest levels and will be confident heading into his clash with the French No. 1 Rinderknech, currently ranked ATP No. 27.
In the women’s singles rubber, Jasmine Paolini faces Leolia Jeanjean in what marks the first meeting between these two competitors. The Italian ace, currently ranked WTA No. 8, experienced a setback against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in her first match but remains a heavy favorite against the French player ranked No. 102. Jeanjean also fell to Bencic in her opening tie and will need to find her best tennis to create difficulties for the higher-ranked Paolini.
Canada and Belgium square off at Ken Rosewall Arena at 10:30 am in a Group B encounter where Canada enters with clear momentum. The Canadian team opened the United Cup with a dominant 3-0 victory over China and will look to maintain their momentum.
Felix Auger-Aliassime leads Canada against Zizou Bergs in the men’s singles match. The World No. 5 delivered an impressive 6-4, 6-4 victory over China’s Zhizhen Zhang in his opening appearance and possesses a 1-0 head-to-head advantage over World No. 42 Bergs from a qualifying match in 2018.
Victoria Mboko brings firepower to the women’s singles match against Belgium’s Elise Mertens. The 19-year-old Mboko has captured the attention of the tennis world with an extraordinary 2025 season, during which she rose more than 300 places in the rankings. Her opponent, Mertens, currently sits at WTA No. 19 and brings extensive experience to the court, having competed at the sport’s highest levels for many years.
The night session at Ken Rosewall Arena features Australia and Czechia in a Group D encounter where the stakes remain significant for both teams, as they hope to secure their quarterfinal berths.
De Minaur represents Australia’s hopes in the men’s singles match against Jakub Menšík. The Australian tennis star, currently ranked ATP No. 6 in the world, enters the match coming off a disappointing straight-sets loss to Casper Ruud in his opening tie.
De Minaur holds a commanding 4-0 head-to-head record against the Czech prodigy Menšík, having dominated their recent encounters. Menšík, the 20-year-old sensation ranked ATP No. 18, remains a formidable opponent despite the lopsided historical record.
Australia’s women’s singles representative remains somewhat uncertain heading into the tie, as Maya Joint, the World No. 32, continues recovering from an illness that sidelined her from the opening match against Norway. Joint, only 19 years old, had an outstanding 2025 season and represents significant promise for Australian tennis.
If she remains unavailable, Storm Hunter, the 31-year-old doubles specialist and former world No. 1 in doubles, would step in for her second straight singles appearance at the tournament.
Czechia counters with the formidable presence of the 2024 Wimbledon champion, Krejčíková. She has served as the driving force behind Czechia’s campaign throughout the tournament and remains one of the sport’s most accomplished competitors, with multiple Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles.
United Cup Day 5 Schedule for Perth
Italy vs France (Group C)
• Flavio Cobolli vs Arthur Rinderknech (Starts at 10:00 am local time)
• Followed by Jasmine Paolini vs Leolia Jeanjean
• Followed by Sara Errani / Andrea Vavassori vs Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah / Édouard Roger-Vasselin
United Cup 2026 Day 5 Schedule for Sydney
Canada vs Belgium (Group B)
• Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zizou Bergs (Starts at 10:30 am local time)
• Followed by Victoria Mboko vs Elise Mertens
• Followed by Victoria Mboko / Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Elise Mertens / Zizou Bergs
Australia vs Czech Republic (Group D)
• Maya Joint vs Barbora Krejčíková (Starts not before 5:30 pm local time)
• Followed by Alex de Minaur vs Jakub Menšík
• Followed by Storm Hunter / John-Patrick Smith vs Barbora Krejčíková / Jakub Menšík
