Baez starts United Cup with Win Over Munar

The 2026 United Cup officially got underway on Friday, January 2, marking the start of the new tennis season in Australia.

One of the opening matches saw Sebastian Baez defeat Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. The match was played in Perth and began during the day session on January 2.

Baez stayed steady throughout the contest, holding serve well and taking his chances at key moments. Munar competed hard but was unable to shift the momentum in either set.

The United Cup is a mixed team tennis tournament, which means men and women compete together for the same country. Instead of one player facing another, two countries play against each other as teams.

In each team match, one male player plays a singles match, one female player plays a singles match, and then a man and a woman from the same country play together in a mixed doubles match. The country that wins the most matches wins the tie.

United Cup is held at the start of the year in Australia, so it gives players a chance to play competitive matches and get ready before the Australian Open starts