United Cup: Gauff and Fritz Explore Rottnest Island Ahead of Perth Tournament
Click to start listening
Perth, Dec 26 (NationPress) Top-ranked Americans Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff took the opportunity to explore Western Australia's renowned Rottnest Island just before the start of the new tennis season on Friday at the United Cup, a prestigious mixed-gender team event that is a crucial milestone leading up to the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open. The United Cup matches in Sydney begin on Saturday.
Fritz, who is currently ranked No. 4 in the ATP Rankings, and World No. 3 Gauff enjoyed a walk around the island's scenic Basin, captured selfies with the adorable native quokkas, and savored a beloved 'Cray Dog', which is a lobster roll inspired by Western Australian cuisine.
Gauff was accompanied by her family, including her parents and younger siblings, Codey and Cameron. "It's wonderful to have my family here. This is my first Christmas away from home, and it was essential for them to come along with me," Gauff expressed. "They are on Christmas break, so it's exciting for them to experience a different part of the world."
Fritz was part of the victorious United States team during the inaugural United Cup in 2023. Gauff, who concluded her 2024 season triumphantly with a win at the WTA Finals, is participating in her first tournament here.
"This is actually my third visit to Perth, as I competed in the ATP Cup back in 2020, so I'm quite familiar with the city, and I'm thrilled to return," Fritz remarked. He ended the 2024 season by reaching the ATP Finals championship match, boasting a 53-23 match record as per Infosys ATP Stats. "Coco and I have some experience playing mixed doubles at the Olympics, so I hope that will work in our favor."
Even though they are the top seeds, Fritz emphasized the need for the American team to concentrate on immediate objectives. "We need to focus on advancing out of the group because we didn't manage to do that last year. We must assess the teams ahead of us before looking too far into the future."
Action kicks off on Friday in Perth with Kazakhstan facing Spain and China taking on Brazil. On Saturday, matches will continue in Sydney. Both cities will host group play and knockout quarterfinals, while the semifinals and finals will take place exclusively in Sydney on January 4-5. The U.S. will have their first match on Sunday evening, featuring two eagerly awaited singles encounters. Fritz is set to compete against Felix Auger-Aliassime, whom he leads 2-0 in their ATP head-to-head record. Gauff will face off against former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
