G'day, mates. Many of the stars of the Hologic WTA Tour have already arrived Down Under, ready to begin the 2023 season in Australia.
The season officially kicks off on Thursday as the United Cup kicks off from three different locations around Australia, and will continue with WTA tournaments in Adelaide and Auckland, New Zealand later in Week 1.
United Cup 2023: Draw, format, prize money and everything you need to know
After leading Switzerland to its first-ever Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow in November, Belinda Bencic and Jil Teichmann are ready for more. The two top-ranked Swiss players have already been putting in the hard yards in Brisbane for their United Cup debut.
Who's playing where: United Cup | Adelaide 1 | Auckland | Adelaide 2
They're joined on the Swiss team by Marc-Andrea Husler, Ylena In-Albon, Dominic Stricker, Alexander Ritschard, Stan Wawrinka and Joanne Zuger, and the squad will take on Kazakhstan and Poland in Group B action.
A warm welcome to Switzerland’s @BelindaBencic 👋 😃 ☀️
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) December 24, 2022
We can’t wait to see you in action at the #UnitedCup! 🇨🇭 pic.twitter.com/QyoiJrm8p9
Speaking of Poland, World No.1 Iga Swiatek touched down in Brisbane on the day after Christmas. She'll lead a Polish team that's set to be captained by former Wimbledon finalist and World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska, and Radwanska's husband Dawid Celt.
World No.1 Swiatek leads Australian Open entry list
The world No.1 has arrived 🤩 🇵🇱
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) December 26, 2022
Welcome, @iga_swiatek! #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/XUWev6S6nU
A two-time champion at the longtime WTA event in Sydney, Petra Kvitova will be back in a happy place when she represents the Czech Republic in the United Cup.
She and the rest of the Czech team will face the U.S. and Germany in Group C action, and they were smiling big after a day of training on Tuesday.
Czech team reporting for duty in Sydney 💪🇨🇿 @UnitedCupTennis pic.twitter.com/eMfgRMRIXN
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) December 27, 2022
Off the court, some of the other teams enjoyed tourist time.
In Perth, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Despina Papamichail and Valentini Grammatikopoulou of Team Greece spent a day at Rottnest Island, while Team Italy, including Matteo Berrettini, Lucia Bronzetti, Camila Rosatello and Martina Trevisan, enjoyed a scenic GoBoat ride on the Brisbane River.
While players already in Australia were enjoying all the country has to offer, others spent the Christmas holiday in transit.
2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu was one who spent her Christmas Day in the skies, but used social media to let fans know that she arrived safely in Adelaide.
It's a welcome return to Australia for Andreescu, who missed the swing last year. She was also sidelined with injury in 2020.
Touchdown in Adelaide for my first tourney of the year!! 🇦🇺🐨
— Bianca (@Bandreescu_) December 26, 2022
Happy holidays to the ones who celebrate. Much love ❤️
Paula Badosa, Alizé Cornet and Jelena Ostapenko were others who sent Christmas wishes to all from an airport on their way Down Under.
👀2023… Allá vamos
— Paula Badosa (@paulabadosa) December 24, 2022
Feliz navidad 💫 pic.twitter.com/BNh23aSdax
Un réveillon dans l'avion, histoire de reprendre les bonnes vieilles habitudes ! Ma famille me manque ce soir, mais l'appel du tennis est toujours plus fort.
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) December 24, 2022
Direction l'Australie, en vous souhaitant un joyeux Noël à tous 🎄🎅 #viedejoueur pic.twitter.com/7mHmDJCUaQ
Others still will arrive in the coming days. Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbiñe Muguruza accepted a wildcard into the Adelaide International 1, while American teenager Coco Gauff will be the top seed at the first edition of the ASB Classic in Auckland in three years.
While Muguruza tweeted the beginning of her journey, Gauff chronicled the end—and shared a beautiful view from her airplane window.