Canada Beats China 3-0 in United Cup Opener

Canada secured a decisive 3-0 victory over China in the United Cup Group B round-robin match on Sunday in Sydney, Australia, kicking off the 2026 tennis season with strong performances from Félix Auger-Aliassime and Victoria Mboko.

The 19-year-old Mboko, ranked 18th in women's singles, started the tie by rallying from a set deficit to defeat Lin Zhu 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 at Ken Rosewall Arena. Auger-Aliassime, the world No. 5 in men's singles, followed with a straight-sets win over Zhang Zhizhen, 6-4, 6-4. The Canadian duo then sealed the sweep in mixed doubles, beating Xiaodi You and Rigele Te 6-1, 6-3.

Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old from Montreal, delivered efficient tennis throughout his singles match, breaking Zhang's serve twice in each set to close out the contest in under 90 minutes. The victory marked his first season-opening win on the ATP Tour since 2021, ending a streak of four consecutive first-match losses at the start of recent years. Mboko, from Toronto, dominated the final two sets against Zhu after dropping the opener, showcasing the form that propelled her rise from outside the top 300 to a top-20 ranking in 2025.

Both players entered the tournament on high notes from...