Coco Gauff is all business as the Team USA spearhead looks to defend the United Cup title with the top seeds getting into action in Perth this week.
The world No.3 returns to again link with sixth-ranked Taylor Fritz with the Americans in Group A, which also features Spain and Argentina.
Three groups are playing in Western Australia and three in Sydney, including Australia in Group D, with world No.7 Alex de Minaur and rising star Maya Joint headlining the local charge.
Gauff was key to her team's triumph in 2025, declared tournament MVP with the 21-year-old going through undefeated in five singles matches, including in the final.
Then she overcame Poland's world No.2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets before Fritz completed the job with a victory over Hubert Hurkacz.
While she was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, Gauff claimed her first French Open title to add to her breakthrough grand slam victory at the 2023 US Open.
"It's a great event to start the year off - a lot of pressure whenever you're competing for your country, but also I think it takes the pressure off just having a team environment and it's something that we don't necessarily always get to do on tour," Gauff told reporters in Perth.
"I definitely think last year was one of my favourite events and I think it'll be the same this year."
Speaking at Cottlesloe beach, Gauff said she would skip further sight-seeing and New Years Eve festivities to make sure she was at her best, with Team USA opening their campaign against Argentina on January 3, followed by a match-up against Spain two days later.
Fritz is looking to top his previous best at Melbourne Park which was a quarter-final finish in 2024. He was a surprise third-round elimination this year.
A United States-Australia final would set up a juicy rematch of the clash between Fritz and De Minaur at the ATP Finals in Turin in November.
The Aussie No.1 banked a crucial victory to progress to the semi-finals of the season-ending championship.
Fritz said he hoped to play his role so their United Cup ties didn't rely on a deciding doubles clash.
"Hopefully we won't need to come down to that deciding mix too much because it gets scary, but we've been able to come through a couple times," the 28-year-old said.
"It's great just having Coco as a teammate - I know that she's always going to do her part and most of the time carry the team."
