The 2017 Power Packed Hopman Cup Player Line-Up

The Hopman Cup will be held in Perth from 1 to 7 January 2017. Read on to find out who’s playing including Federer, Gasquet, Lopez and last year’s winners Kyrgios and Gavrilova.

I’m excited to be going to the Hopman Cup again in 2017. It’s one of my favourite tournaments due to the unique format and fantastic matches that happen there, plus Perth is a beautiful city to visit.

The unique format has a male and female player form a team to play for their country. There are eight teams split into two groups of four. Each team plays the other three teams in their group in men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles. The winning team in each group play each other in the final.

As sourced from the Hopman Cup website, here are the rankings of the players as at 3 October 2016. (Note – Hradecka has since replaced Kvitova).

2016 Hopman Cup Player Line-up

Group A

France – Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet

I’m a big fan of both Kiki and Richard and it will be fabulous to see them play together. With 16 career doubles titles and a member of the runner-up Fed Cup team this year, Kiki is great at playing as a team. Partnered by Gasquet, who first entered the top 10 in 2007 and is currently ranked 18, I think they have a good chance of winning.

 

Germany – Andrea Petkovic and Alexander Zverev

Zverev has had a mammoth 2016 season, reaching three ATP finals, winning St Petersburg and finishing the year ranked 24. At 19 he’s the youngest member of the World Top 50. This is his second year the Hopman Cup after his debut in 2016 playing with Sabine Lisicki. In 2017 he’ll play with Andrea Petkovic who is always entertaining. Finishing the year ranked 55 Petko didn’t have a great year but hopefully there’s good things to come for her in 2017.

Great Britain – Heather Watson and Dan Evans

Great Britain is the only nation in the field who hasn’t yet won. Heather Watson returns to the Hopman Cup for the third time, partnered by Dan Evans who had a huge moment at the US Open, holding match point to Stan Wawrinka in the third round.

 

Switzerland – Belinda Bencic and Roger Federer

We all know how awesome Roger’s achievements are with 17 Grand Slam wins and everything else he has done to contribute to raising the profile of tennis. Roger first won the Hopman Cup back in 2001, when Bencic was about 4 years old! This will be the first time they play mixed doubles together.

Group B

Australia – Daria Gavrilova and Nick Kyrgios

Dasha and Nick are the defending champions after playing superbly to win in 2016. Dasha went on to play some magnificent matches at the Australian Open, until her emotions got the better of her…. It’s exciting to think of what she’ll be capable of at AO2017.

And Nick, well, Nick will be Nick. Regardless of whether or not you like his personality and on court antics, he’s a fantastic player and I really enjoying watching him (the tennis part). Remember his match against Andy Murray in 2016? It was riveting and I’m sure we’ll get more matches of that calibre in 2017.

 

Czech Republic – Lucie Hradecka and Adam Pavlasek

Hradecka is a doubles specialist, having played Fed Cup since 2010 and with a silver and bronze Olympic medal in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Adam Pavklasek first played at the Hopman Cup in 2015 with Lucie Safarova and is currently ranked 80.

Spain – Lara Arruabarrena and Feliciano Lopez

Feli Lopez, currently ranked 28, has 5 singles titles and has played in 4 Davis Cup finals. I’m sure his practice sessions will be popular with fans. He teamed up with Marc Lopez to win his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2016. Lara Arruabarrena won Seoul in 2016 and has 7 doubles titles.

United States – Coco Vandeweghe and Jack Sock

Jack Sock also had a mammoth season, ending the year ranked 23 and winning two Olympic medals (gold in mixed doubles and bronze in men’s doubles). Coco Vandeweghe won ‘s-Hertogenbosch this year along with the women’s doubles at Indian Wells. She also played in the US Fed Cup and Olympic teams.

Read my wrap up of the event from when I last attended in 2015 in a Fan’s Eye View of the 2015 Hopman Cup.

Until next time

Grand Slam Gal