Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper handed nightmare return to tennis in the build-up to the 2026 Australian Open

Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have been drawn in a tough group at the United Cup as they pair together for the first time.

Raducanu and Draper have bolstered Great Britain’s hopes at the United Cup as the two combine for their first tournament of 2026.

Raducanu and Draper enjoyed up-and-down seasons, although they both achieved impressive rankings at the close of the 2025 season.

Draper finished inside the top 10, while Raducanu is on track to receive seeded entry into the Australian Open.

They begin their campaign toward the first Grand Slam of the year at the United Cup, but they will face a daunting task at the Australian tournament.

Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper receive tough United Cup draw
Great Britain have been drawn in a group with Greece and Japan, who have some heavy hitters in their ranks.

Greece will feature two players who have previously been ranked inside the top three of the world. Former ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will lead Greece at the tournament.

While the two are not ranked as highly as they have been, they could prove a tricky test for Raducanu and Draper.

Greece Japan Great Britain
Stefanos Tsitsipas Shintaro Mochizuki Jack Draper
Maria Sakkari Naomi Osaka Emma Raducanu
Stefanos Sakellaridis Yasutaka Uchiyama Billy Harris
Petros Tsitsipas Nao Hibino Lloyd Glasspool
Despina Papamichail Mimi Xu
Sapfo Sakellaridi Olivia Nicholls
Japan, meanwhile, will be led by former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka.

However, Raducanu will fancy her chances against Osaka having won their only previous meeting on the WTA Tour.

Raducanu defeated Osaka at the Washington Open in 2025 during her preparations for the US Open, but she will be a tough test for the Briton.

Great Britain will play the United Cup in Perth, alongside Coco Gauff and the United States and Jasmine Paolini and Italy.

The other side of the tournament will play in Sydney, with the likes of Canada, Belgium, and Australia competing in the city.

Why Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu could struggle at the United Cup
On paper, Draper and Raducanu look set to be a formidable team at the United Cup but it’s worth noting their potential ring rust.

Draper is making his comeback at the UTS Grand Finals and will have only played a handful of times before the United Cup.

Raducanu will play a couple of exhibition matches in America before the United Cup, but she also cut her season early in 2025.

The Brit only played half of the WTA’s Asian swing before ending her season early due to fatigue and illness.

With a star-studded crowd set for the United Cup, Raducanu and Draper could find it tough in Australia.