Thursday’s United Cup action from the place they call Oceania underlines the delightful volatility of this second-year mixed event. No.14 seed Norway takes on France in the first quarterfinal from Sydney. The three lowest-seeded nations (Norway, Australia and Germany) are among the final six.

Meanwhile in Auckland, reigning 19-year-old US Open champion Coco Gauff will be in action, along with 21-year-old former US Open winner Emma Raducanu, who is mounting her comeback against the player with one of the best comeback stories from 2023.

The top three seeds are all on court in Brisbane, two of them Top 10 players.

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Auckland: Gauff, Raducanu in play

In terms of the bare rankings, this ASB Classic second-round match on Thursday doesn’t seem like a fair fight.

Elina Svitolina is No.25 and rising after returning from pregnancy leave last year. Raducanu, following three surgeries, is at No.301.

But … Raducanu, still only 21, is a major champion (2021 US Open) and shook the rust off in her first match in eight months, defeating qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. The match required 2 hours and 27 minutes, and we can report that Raducanu seemed to hold up nicely.

She’ll be buoyed by the prospect of a spot in the Australian Open main draw after Lauren Davis pulled out with an injury.

No.2-seeded Svitolina was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Caroline Wozniacki. Svitolina and Raducanu have never played.

On the other side of the draw, in one of four Round of 16 matches, No.1 Gauff meets Brenda Fruhvirtova in a first-time collision of teenagers. Gauff was a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Claire Liu, while the 16-year-old qualifier Fruhvirtova scored her first Top 50 win -- and first Hologic WTA Tour main-draw win -- over Anna Blinkova.

Brisbane: Three for the money

The day after a thrilling second-round match between Karolina Pliskova and Naomi Osaka, the three top seeds are featured in eight Round of 16 matches.

No.16-seeded Pliskova, coming off a three-month layoff, defeated Osaka 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 by the narrowest of margins. The final point count was 101-100, Pliskova. Her reward? No.3 seed Jelena Ostapenko, a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Camila Giorgi.

The head-to-head record is a dizzying 5-5, but Ostapenko won both matches played last year, in Adelaide and Cincinnati.

Sabalenka overpowers Bronzetti to post 58-minute win in Brisbane

No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who handled Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-0 in her first match of the new year, meets No.15 Zhu Lin, a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(7) winner over Danielle Collins. Sabalenka has won their three previous matches, but Zhu is ranked No.33 among Hologic WTA Tour players and finished strong in 2023, winning the title in Hua Hin and reaching the Osaka final.

No.2 Elena Rybakina also looked sharp in her first 2024 outing, defeating qualifier Olivia Gadecki 6-4, 6-1. She’s up against No.13 Elise Mertens, a three-set winner over Sloane Stephens. Rybakina holds a 3-1 career edge.

United Cup: France vs. Norway

The numbers suggest this quarterfinal at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney will come down to mixed doubles, as so many United Cup ties have already.

Caroline Garcia, ranked No.20, has won all three of the matches she’s played for France, including both in singles. Norway’s Malene Helgo is ranked No.544 and is 0-2. The two have never played.

On the men’s side, Norway’s Casper Ruud is ranked No.11 and won both singles matches. France’s Adrian Mannarino, No.22, is 1-1. Interestingly, Mannarino won their only previous match, at the 2019 Paris Masters.

The winner advances to Saturday’s semifinals and a meeting with No.1-seeded Poland, featuring No.1 Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz.

Friday’s second quarterfinal from Sydney features Group B winner and No.2-seeded Greece versus No.16 Germany.

Schedule of play

Ken Rosewall Arena, 5:30 p.m. start in Sydney
[4] C. Garcia (FRA) vs [14] M. Helgo (NOR)

Not Before 7:00 p.m. 
[4] A. Mannarino (FRA) vs [14] C. Ruud (NOR)
[4] C. Garcia (FRA) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs [14] U. Eikeri (NOR) / C. Ruud (NOR)