Coco Gauff looking to kick off another big year with a bang

Coco Gauff isn’t here for the sightseeing. The world’s highest-paid female athlete is in business mode as she leads the US United Cup team in Perth this weekend.

The world No.3 returns to again link with sixth-ranked Taylor Fritz with the Americans in Group A, which also features Spain and Argentina.

Three groups are playing in Perth and three in Sydney, including Australia in Group D, with world No.7 Alex de Minaur headlining the local charge.

Gauff, 21, was key to her team’s triumph in 2025, declared tournament MVP with the 21-year-old going through undefeated in five singles matches, including in the final. Then she overcame Poland’s world No.2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets before Fritz completed the job with a victory over Hubert Hurkacz.

While she was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, It proved an ideal springboard for the year as Gauff went on to claim first French Open title to add to her grand slam victory at the 2023 US Open.

“It’s a great event to start the year off — a lot of pressure whenever you’re competing for your country, but also I think it takes the pressure off just having a team environment and it’s something that we don’t necessarily always get to do on tour,” Gauff, pictured, said at a warm Cottesloe beach.

“I definitely think last year was one of my favourite events and I think it’ll be the same this year.”

Gauff, who pocketed nearly $8 million in prizemoney this year and a further $23m in endorsements, said she would skip further sight-seeing and New Year’s Eve festivities to ensure she was at her best for her opening clash on Saturday. followed by a match-up against Spain two days later.

Fritz is looking to top his previous best at Melbourne Park which was a quarter-final finish in 2024. He was a surprise third-round elimination this year.

A United States-Australia final would set up a juicy rematch of the clash between Fritz and De Minaur at the ATP Finals in Turin in November.

The Aussie No.1 banked a crucial victory to progress to the semi-finals of the season-ending championship.

Fritz said he hoped to play his role so their United Cup ties didn’t rely on a deciding doubles clash.

“Hopefully we won’t need to come down to that deciding mix too much because it gets scary, but we’ve been able to come through a couple times,” the 28-year-old said.

“It’s great just having Coco as a teammate - I know that she’s always going to do her part and most of the time carry the team.”