The Hopman Cup was a very appreciated mixed exhibition that used to be played in Perth at the very beginning of the year. Unfortunately, the competition was canceled after the introduction of the (now discontinued) ATP Cup. The ATP and WTA joined forces to launch the newly-minted United Cup which will also be a mixed competition.
To everyone’s surprise, it was announced by the ITF that the Hopman Cup will be revived and take place this year in France, Nice, soon after Wimbledon (19-23 July 2023). There are some doubts about the possible success of the upcoming competition his many players will be tired after Wimbledon and some others may prefer getting ready for the North American summer. Team Switzerland with Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic was the one that conquered the last edition of the Hopman Cup that was played in 2019.
The Statement
This was the official statement from the ITF.
“The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has today announced that the Hopman Cup, the ITF’s official mixed team competition, will return for the 2023 tennis season. The competition will be operated by Hopman Cup event promoter, Tennium, and hosted in Nice, France on 19-23 July 2023.
Last played in 2019, the Hopman Cup has enjoyed an illustrious history as a unique fixture on the annual tennis calendar. The event has featured a who’s who of the international game with legends such as Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Martina Hingis, Boris Becker, Li Na and Andy Murray representing their nation in both singles and mixed doubles.
Founded in 1989, the event spent its first 30 years in Perth, Australia, and was played in the opening week of the tennis season.
The prestigious Nice Lawn Tennis Club will host the international mixed team event from 2023 to 2027, as part of a five-year agreement between the ITF and Tennium, a Barcelona-based company who operates multiple ATP and WTA events.”
The Format
“As in previous editions of the competition, each team will consist of one male and one female player, with ties between nations featuring one men’s singles match, one women’s singles match and a mixed doubles match. Six teams will compete in the 2023 and 2024 editions, with the competition expanding to eight teams from 2025 onwards. As hosts, France will field a team each year.”
