First Ball Forehand

United Cup semis set, surprises unfold

Team competition at the United Cup continues to be one of the most compelling early-season narratives. As the quarterfinals wrapped and semis solidified, a mix of upsets and clutch performances has reshaped expectations.

Belgium punched its ticket to the semifinals after a standout win over the Czech Republic. Zizou Bergs, unseeded and under the radar heading into the event, upset a top-20 opponent in straight sets to give Belgium momentum. Teammate Elise Mertens then clinched the tie with a tight three-set victory, putting Belgium in the final four alongside Switzerland.
In other quarterfinal action, the United States advanced with a tight 2-1 win over Greece. Coco Gauff led the charge with a strong singles performance, then teamed with Christian Harrison in mixed doubles to secure the decisive point. Meanwhile, Switzerland continued its run behind an unbeaten showing from Belinda Bencic, who helped her team into the semis with steady singles and doubles play.

On the other side of the draw, Australia and Poland are still vying for the remaining semifinal spots, setting the stage for national pride and early season momentum as players look ahead to the Australian Open later this month.

Brisbane International: upsets, momentum, and rising players

Over in Brisbane, a handful of notable results shook up the early rounds and gave us a glimpse of form heading into Melbourne.

On the women’s side, Marta Kostyuk delivered the headline result by upsetting world No. 3 Amanda Anisimova in straight sets, a win that not only boosted Kostyuk into the quarterfinals but also highlighted her threat this season on hard courts. Madison Keys also stood out with a dramatic three-tiebreak victory over Diana Shnaider to advance, where she is set to meet Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of their high-profile Australian Open final from last year. Other seeds such as Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Liudmila Samsonova, and Karolina Muchova also notched wins to stay in title contention.

On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev asserted his position as a favorite with convincing straight-set wins, including a solid 6-3, 6-2 victory over Frances Tiafoe. The draw also saw impressive performances from players like Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Cameron Norrie, both advancing past main draw matches with strong play. Raphael Collignon, who already turned heads this season with an upset of Grigor Dimitrov, continued his run by exacting another strong performance to reach the later stages.

Eliminations also made news: Australian wildcards Kimberly Birrell and Olivia Gadecki exited in the second round, both falling to top seeds and underscoring how competitive the field has become early on. Meanwhile the comeback bid for Nick Kyrgios continued to be a work in progress, with his singles and doubles runs coming to an end this week as he builds toward future events.

Auckland and veteran presence

In Auckland’s ASB Classic, early progress from top seed Elina Svitolina highlighted her return to form. Svitolina, fresh off a break from the tour, captured another key victory to move into the quarterfinals in windy conditions against a stubborn opponent. Across the draw, other seeded players like Magda Linette and Alexandra Eala also advanced with confident wins, while Venus Williams showcased her enduring competitiveness in a three-set loss — a performance that reminded fans she’s still capable of long rallies even at 45.

First Ball Forehand Match Point

From team triumphs in the United Cup to early upsets and veteran grit in Brisbane and Auckland, the first competitive strides of the 2026 season have given fans plenty to follow. With confidence building and narratives forming, the momentum into the Australian Open is now officially underway.

Source: Publicly available ATP/WTA reporting and season coverage.