Australia is hosting the United Cup and are is clear favorite to advance in in group. On Day 2, they’ll be facing Argentina in their opening match, and it seems to be a favorable clash. Can Olivia Gadecki and Alex de Minaur deliver in the singles or will they need their doubles superstars of Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez to seal the deal?
United Cup Day 2 Predictions: Australia vs Argentina
Alex de Minaur vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Head-to-head: Etcheverry 1-0
Tomas Martin Etcheverry defeated Alex de Minaur on the way to his career-best run when he made the Roland Garros quarterfinals. But that was on the Australian’s weakest surface and it might be too much of a challenge to defeat him here. After all, de Minaur always starts the season well Down Under and has been performing excellently at the ATP/United Cup for years. Etcheverry is a solid hard-court player, but nowhere near the threat he can be on the dirt.
Prediction: de Minaur in 2
Olivia Gadecki vs Nadia Podoroska
Head-to-head: Podoroska 1-0
Olivia Gadecki is the weak point of Team Australia and while that might hurt them in tougher matches later in the event, she’s very much capable of getting a win here. The 22-year-old made solid progress last year with a WTA 500 final in Guadalajara and should be motivated to produce at home. Nadia Podoroska defeated her on hard courts in Indian Wells, but the conditions in Sydney should be more suitable for the Australian and the crowd might go crazy.
Prediction: Gadecki in 3
Matthew Ebden/Ellen Perez vs Nadia Podoroska/Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Head-to-head: First meeting
Very few pairs at this United Cup have any sort of focus on the mixed, but Australia has a very strong line-up here. Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez competed with each other at three Slams and the Olympics. It’s not even about the team chemistry though, just about being two elite doubles players (coincidentally, they’re both at World No. 13 at the moment). Nadia Podoroska and Tomas Martin Etcheverry played a couple of mixed matches at this event two years ago, but they’ll be outclassed here.
Prediction: Ebden/Perez in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
