A few days ago, after Team Italy had wrapped up a trip to the United Cup quarterfinals, reporters asked members who they’d prefer to play. The two potential options mentioned were Great Britain and Australia.

“I don’t like to say,” Jasmine Paolini said. “I don’t like also to think which team or which opponent is going to be better. When you think one is better, you play against him or her -- and you lost.”

As it turns out, after a quirk in the qualifying scenarios came to fruition, Italy meets the Czech Republic on Friday in Sydney, the last of the quarterfinals.

United Cup: Scores | Draws | Order of Play

Poland was supposed to take on the best second-place team in Sydney, but that was the Czech Republic, whom they had just beaten in Group B play. According to United Cup rules, teams from the same group cannot meet again until the final. Thus, Great Britain and the Czech Republic swapped spots, setting up Thursday’s Poland-Great Britain tie (won by Poland) and Friday’s tasty tilt between Italy and the Czech Republic.

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The winner will advance to Saturday’s semifinals in Ken Rosewall Arena against the 3-0 United States. Kazakhstan (3-0) takes on Poland (3-0) in the other Final Four matchup.

Meanwhile, it’s the quarterfinals in Brisbane, featuring No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. The Auckland, New Zealand quarterfinals are headlined by No.1 seed Madison Keys and No.7 Naomi Osaka.

Must See

United Cup: Sydney

Group D winner Italy (2-0) vs Group B runner-up Czech Republic (1-1)

Start time: (5:30 p.m. local, 1:30 a.m. ET)

[4] Jasmine Paolini (ITA) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE)
[4] Flavio Cobolli (ITA) vs [8] Tomas Machac (CZE)
[4] Sara Errani (ITA) / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) vs [8] Karolina Muchova (CZE) / Tomas Machac (CZE)

So how did the Czech Republic slip into the quarters -- how close was it?

Australia, Argentina and the Czechs all split six matches, and the next tiebreaker was percentage of sets won. The Czech Republic and Australia both won 50 percent, so it came down to percentage of games won -- and the Czechs came in at 51.05, barely ahead of Australia’s 49.52.

Paolini is ranked No.4 in the world, but she’s facing a tremendous adversary in Muchova, who has won all four of their previous meetings, the most recent in the 2024 US Open’s Round of 16.

Cobolli and Machac have never played, but this feels like a fair fight. Look at the numbers:

Cobolli is ranked No.32, is 22 years old and went 35-27 in 2024.

Machac is No.25, 24 years old and was 33-23.

If it comes down to mixed doubles, Italy might have the advantage. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are 2-0, with straight-set wins over France and Switzerland. Muchova and Machac are 1-1 after losing to Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.

Brisbane International

Sixteen seeds began the tournament six days ago and only two remain -- No.1 Sabalenka and No.8 Mirra Andreeva.

How about this intriguing quarterfinal match between 30-year-old Ons Jabeur and the 17-year-old Andreeva? Jabeur -- a three-time major finalist -- is coming off a four-month injury layoff. Andreeva, already ranked better than her age (No.16), has a bright future.

Jabeur triumphs in rollercoaster vs. Avanesyan, makes Brisbane quarters

Australian wild card Kimberly Birrell, ranked No.113, and No.107 qualifier Polina Kudermetova are among the surprises remaining.

Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) vs. [WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 
Ons Jabeur (TUN) vs. [8] Mirra Andreeva 
[1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. Marie Bouzkova (CZE) 
Ashlyn Krueger (USA) vs. [Q] Polina Kudermetova 

Auckland ASB Classic

Americans are dominating in New Zealand. No fewer than six found their way into the quarterfinals, led by Keys.

Bernarda Pera (USA) vs. Robin Montgomery (USA) 
[7] Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs. Hailey Baptiste (USA) 
[1] Madison Keys (USA) vs. [5] Clara Tauson (DEN) 
[8] Katie Volynets (USA) vs. Alycia Parks (USA)