SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, January 8, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
Anytime an Australian tennis player gets the opportunity to wear the green and gold team colors and play in front of a big crowd at home is always special.
Just ask Storm Hunter and Alex de Minaur, two members of Team Australia’s United Cup squad representing the Aussies in Sydney this week. Both have made major contributions toward Australia going 2-0 and winning its group to advance to the last eight of the ATP/WTA mixed-team event.
On Friday evening, under the roof of Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, Australia will face Poland in a quarterfinal tie for a berth in the semifinals this weekend. Expect all seats in this intimate 10,000-seat venue to be filled – and for the fans to cheer loudly and proudly.
As team captain Lleyton Hewitt explained earlier this week during one of his team’s news conferences: “[The players] don’t get to come back here and play in Australia that often throughout the year. It’s a bloody long year for these guys traveling all year. So, they’ve got to try and soak it up and enjoy these moments as much as possible.”
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In Australia’s 2-1 victory over Norway last Saturday evening, for instance, it was Hunter’s turn to shine. She contributed points in both singles, as a fill-in for Australian No. 1 Maya Joint, who was sick, and in doubles teaming with John-Patrick Smith to offset de Minaur’s straight-set loss to World No. 12 Casper Ruud.
“I think for all of us, representing Australia is one of the highest honors,” Hunter said afterward. “I know both the men and women on this team, you know, it’s a huge honor and privilege. We don’t take it for granted.
“These matches and these wins with the crowd and wearing the green and gold are definitely for me the highlights of my career. When I finish, whenever that’s done, these are definitely going to be the highlights of my career, for sure.”
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After the Norway triumph, Hewitt spoke glowingly of Hunter. She’s a doubles specialist ranked No. 32 but is only 426th in singles, who stepped in when 32nd-ranked Joint was too ill to play. Hunter earned Australia’s first point against Norway.
“All credit to Storm for willing to do whatever is needed for the team, which is fantastic,” Hewitt said during one of his team’s news conferences earlier this week. “But I know she had the full backing of both those girls that weren’t able to play today as well, which is a nice thing to go out there and have that team support and camaraderie and pulling together.”
Then, a few days later, with first place on the line in Group D against Czechia, World No. 7 de Minaur redeemed himself with a solid 6-4, 6-1 victory over World No. 18 Jakub Mensik. Soon after, he returned in mixed doubles to team with Hunter and their straight-set win lifted Australia to a 2-1 victory and into the quarterfinal knock-out stage of the United Cup.
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During an on-court interview she shared with de Minaur after beating Czechia, Hunter said: “Demon brings energy, he’s so clutch under pressure. So I felt really comfortable and confident with him by my side.”
Afterward, Hewitt said he was pleased by the effort from the whole team. “Coming out here, we knew we probably couldn’t finish the highest second-place team, so we had to win tonight,” he explained during the team’s post-tie news conference. “We had to somehow win two points. We were able to do that.
“It’s been a really good camaraderie with the whole team and the whole squad and everyone. It’s been a lot of fun this week.”
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In addition to de Minaur, Hunter and Joint, Team Australia’s roster also includes 40th-ranked doubles specialist Smith, 192nd-ranked Jason Kubler and 166th-ranked Maddison Ingis. Kubler and Inglis, longtime partners, recently announced their engagement to be married.
“Not often we can play the same tournaments. When we can, we try,” Kubler told the United Cup website. “To start the year together playing for Australia as well, supporting these guys, is super special.”
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De Minaur said that more than anything, he was happy with the way he bounced back against Mensik after his disappointing result versus Ruud. As it happened, de Minaur carried the weight of the green and gold with distinction against Czechia, especially after Joint lost the opening rubber to Barbora Krejcikova, which put Australia down 1-0 and needing to win the next two rubbers in order to finish atop Group D. It was the 26-year-old Sydneysider’s turn to step up and play big in both singles and mixed doubles – and he did.
“I felt a little bit disappointed with my first match [against Ruud]. Obviously, I didn’t want to start off the year like that,” he said. “I had some kind of perspective. I thought Casper played a great match. For me, it was about doing all the right things and not putting the warning signs up, right? I’m still playing some great tennis. I still back myself. I’ve got a lot of confidence.
“Today I was able to play a really good match from start to finish. Yeah, there were no problems with my serve, which was a big problem on day one. I’m very happy that it was able to go away.
“As I said, super happy to still be in the tournament and we get to have another crack.”
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As a Sydney native, de Minaur has spoken glowingly about playing on Ken Rosewall Arena. He was asked recently what goes through his mind when he walks out to play a match while representing Team Australia.
“Well, for me specifically what I’m thinking as I’m walking out is the countless hours I did on the outside courts on this venue growing up, right?” he reflected. “I was at the academy here. I grew up here. I was hee whilst the tournament was being played. I was a hitting partner for the tournament. All I wanted as a kid was to one day compete on that court.
“It is basically a pinch-me moment every time I walk out there. I get goosebumps. The crowd support is always unbelievable. Yeah, that’s what I love about it.”
