Agnieszka Radwanska is returning to Australia for the first time in five years, where she will take on a brand-new role in her career. The former World No.2 and six-time Fan Favorite Singles Player of the Year will co-captain the Polish team at the inaugural United Cup.
Radwanska and her husband, Polish Billie Jean King Cup captain Dawid Celt, will pair up to coach the squad for the mixed-team event which starts Thursday, December 29th.
“It’s very exciting, for sure,” 2012 Wimbledon finalist Radwanska told Tennis Australia, in advance of the event. “You can see a lot of good teams, big teams, combined with a lot of players also as a captain. I think it’s going to be a really big one, so we can’t wait.”
Radwanska, Majoli, Stosur announced as United Cup captains
Poland, of course, will be one of the biggest teams in the field. Not only is World No.1 Iga Swiatek bringing her staggering form to the tournament, but the squad boasts a Top 10 player on the men’s side as well with Hubert Hurkacz.
“It’s going to be a challenge for me as well to coach such good players like Iga and Hubert,” Radwanska said. “Playing is one thing, but sitting on the bench is another thing. I don’t know what is more difficult to be honest, so I guess we’ll see there.”
Winning a mixed-team event is one level of difficulty, but Radwanska has already excelled in that department: she teamed with Jerzy Janowicz to win the mixed-team Hopman Cup in 2015. And Radwanska identified that there has been a relatively seamless transition between generations.
“It’s great that we don’t have any gap,” Radwanska said. “I think [Polish] tennis, it’s bigger than years ago. I think now the kids and the parents and the people believe that you can play good tennis and you can play on that level. … I think I started, a little bit, this kind of big boom for [Polish] tennis, and now Iga is continuing with Hubert, so it cannot be any better.
“I think it’s the best when you play and you have someone on your side, and then now they have the same feeling when they’re in one team. They know they’re strong, they’re good, they can put all the power together and win events like…