The Hopman Cup has become an important warm-up event for players ahead of the new season and has a format unlike any other major international team tennis tournament. It’s a mixed competition which sees male and female players play on combined teams in singles and a doubles matches. The players are invited, not selected by their national federations, but obviously organisers want big names.
Seven countries are selected to compete alongside hosts Australia, though only six turned up in 2016. The eight competing teams are separated into two groups of four (with two teams being seeded) and then play against each of the other three teams in their group in a round-robin format. The top team in each group then meet in a final to decide the champions.
Hopman Cup History
Though having no bearing on individual rankings, the Hopman Cup is regarded as a traditional curtain-raiser to the new international tennis season. Players use the event as a warm-up for the Australian Open, which starts three weeks later – it’s now staged at the Perth Arena having been moved from the Burswood Dome in 2012. The tournament is named in honour of great Australian doubles player and coach Harry Hopman and is always well attended.
The United States have won it most times, six between 1997 and 2011, and have also been beaten finalists on five occasions. Jack Sock partners Coco Vandeweghe in the American team this year but they are available at 6/1 with Paddy Power.
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Hosts Australia have won the Hopman Cup twice, in 1999 and last year, and Paddy Power are also best priced on the defending champions (4/1). Nick Kyrgios resumes his partnership with Daria Gavrilova and they make plenty of appeal again. They line up against Great Britain (Dan Evans and Heather Watson), who can be backed at 25/1 with BetVictor to give their country a first win in the event. They are that price because their group also includes Germany and Switzerland. Roger Federer makes his first appearance in the Hopman Cup in 15 years for the Swiss and also makes his comeback from injury alongside Belinda Bencic – Switzerland are a best 11/4 and early favourites but Germany could be some value at a general 8/1.
Hopman Cup Current Best Odds
Switzerland (11/4), Australia (4/1), France (5/1), USA (6/1), Germany (8/1), Spain (16/1), Czech Republic and Great Britain (25/1)
