United Cup 2026 LIVE: Joint and de Minaur star in quarter-finals for Australia

Got a spare $20,000 and want to meet tennis legend Roger Federer in Melbourne next weekend? It looks like it still won’t be enough.

That’s the eye-popping price tag for a chat and a handshake with the 20-time grand slam singles champion at this year’s Australian Open, but anyone still wanting to buy VIP tickets for next Saturday night’s Federer experience on Ticketmaster was left disappointed on Friday morning, with a message telling prospective customers: “We’ll contact you if new tickets are released. Join waiting list.”

He’ll wave for free, but to meet Roger Federer will cost you $20,000.Credit: AP

The meet-and-greet with Federer was one of two VIP options put on sale by Tennis Australia in December. The cheaper option ($2500 a person) offers seats to a Q&A with the tennis great, paired with cocktails and “premium” beverages.

Read more about it here.

Emerson Jones remembers playing – and losing to – a then-16-year-old Maya Joint in practice sets at Tennis Australia’s national academy in Brisbane about three years ago.

It was a shock to the system for Jones, who knew little at the time of Joint, a Michigan-born emerging talent who had just switched allegiances from the United States to Australia thanks to her Melbourne-born father.

Emerson Jones in action at the Brisbane International.Credit: Getty Images

Jones was only 14, but a higher-ranked junior than Joint back then and already the “it” player in Australian tennis circles, tagged as a significant part of the solution in the post-Ash Barty era. Getting used to those new challenges, and challengers, is all part of the journey Jones is embarking upon.

“We didn’t know who Maya was,” Jones told this masthead. “I played a couple of practice sets with her, and she beat me. I was like, ‘Why am I losing?’ – but now it makes sense. She’s really good.”

Joint is 19 now, Australia’s top-ranked women’s player, and set to be seeded for the first time at this month’s Australian Open. Jones, who does not turn 18 until July, is making exciting strides of her own.

Together, they could put Australian women’s tennis on the map for the next decade or more, alongside fellow young guns Talia Gibson and Taylah Preston, and the slightly older Olivia Gadecki.

Read more here.

Aussie teenager Maya joint has a tough task ahead of her.

She’s playing world no. 2 Iga Swiatek, who is a six-time grand slam singles champion...so yeah, this won’t be easy.

Joint and Swiatek have only played once before, but Swiatek won that match in Korea pretty handily (6-0, 6-2).

Maya Joint in her match against Barbora Krejcikova.Credit: Getty Images

As for Alex de Minaur and Hubert Hurkacz, they’ve played three times before, and de Minaur leads the head-to-head 2-1, but it’s hard to gauge how this match will go tonight.

De Minaur won handily when they played at Indian Wells last year, but Hurkacz wasn’t at his best and later required knee surgery which sidelined him for seven months.

This is Hurkacz’s first tournament back and he’s been impressive, defeating Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor.

Alex de Minaur in action at the United Cup.Credit: Getty Images

Good evening, and welcome to our live coverage of Australia’s quarter-final against Poland at the United Cup.

Billie Eder here, coming to you from a very hot and sticky Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney’s Olympic Park.

Action is set to get under way at 5.30pm, with Maya Joint taking on world no. 2 Iga Swiatek.

After that, we’ll have Alex de Minaur against Hubert Hurkacz before the mixed doubles tie.

Plenty of news to come, stay hydrated, stay tuned.