PERTH (Australia) — Naomi Osaka kicked off 2026 with a win for Japan at the United Cup after Emma Raducanu withdrew, while American Sofia Kenin battled to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Romanian Elena-Gabriele Ruse at the Brisbane International.
The Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka proved too powerful for Great Britain’s reserve, world No. 276 Katie Swan, claiming a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory while Raducanu looked on from the sidelines.
However, despite Osaka’s commanding performance, Great Britain edged Japan 2-1, sealing the tie with a decisive mixed doubles win. “I’m proud of how I fought,” Osaka said according to AFP. “I’d never played here, it was tough.”
GB captain Tim Henman said Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, could appear later in the event. “I don’t think she’s necessarily out of this tournament just yet. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” said Henman.
Billy Harris, standing in for the injured Jack Draper, began with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 defeat of Shintaro Mochizuki.
“It’s great to get the first win, even if there were some shaky bits. I closed it out well at the end,” said Harris.
Great Britain sealed the match when Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama and Nao Hibino 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.
In Sydney, Alexander Zverev clinched victory for Germany against The Netherlands as the world No 3 demolished Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 6-0.
Eva Lys beat Suzan Lamens 6-2, 6-2 and Germany also took the doubles for a 3-0 sweep. Playing his first match of 2026, Zverev dropped just seven points in a commanding second set.
“The first set, it was tough to get rhythm,”said Zverev. “Once I got the chances, I did well and I’m very happy with the win.”
The 18-nation mixed-team event in Perth and Sydney is a warm-up for the Australian Open which begins on January 18.
Kenin, who won the Australian Open as a 21-year-old in 2020, recovered from a second-set lapse to outlast Ruse and set up a second-round clash against seventh seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
“My last match was in October so it was definitely weird. But I trusted the pre-season I had and I felt like I was playing good tennis,” said the 27-year-old American.
“She is a really tough player and I had to stay with it, definitely wasn’t easy.”
Australian wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic eased into the second round with a 6-1, 6-3 win over France’s Elsa Jacquemot and will now play 11th seed Karolina Muchova.
“I had such a great preparation but you never know when that first match comes, anything can happen on the day,” Tomljanovic said.
“I was hoping to do at least 80 per cent of what I’ve been practising and I think I did even more. This feels amazing.”
In the men’s draw, American Francis Tiafoe was too strong for Australian wildcard Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 6-2.
Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams said she’s still driven to play good tennis – and “it gives you great legs” – as she prepares for an Australian Open tilt at age 45.
Williams will become the oldest woman to play in the main draw at the season-opening Grand Slam after accepting a wildcard, five years after she last competed in Melbourne.
The American said she was unaware of the record she was poised to break, adding she didn’t have the same intense approach to achieving milestones as in her prime.
However, her drive to succeed on court remained. “I think one of my goals is to be joyful and just embrace being uncomfortable because that’s the things champions can do,” she said.
“I definitely don’t wake up and come halfway across the world – or more than halfway – to not be feeling the fire.
“And, well, tennis burns a lot of calories. It gives you great legs. I figure if I want to stay fit, I’ve got to keep playing.”
A five-time Wimbledon champion, Williams was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017 and won the doubles title four times alongside sister Serena.
Williams’ last tournament was the US Open in August, not long after returning from a 16-month break.
“It’s interesting because I have so much experience, but I’ve probably played the least amount as any other player in this draw,” Williams told reporters in Auckland.
