Iga Swiatek and her Polish teammates swapped their tennis racquets for surfboards on Thursday in Australia, ahead of the 2024 United Cup. Photographer Jimmie48 put his expensive gear at risk to deliver us these amazing photos from a sunny day at Scarborough Beach in Perth.
Awaiting the December 29th – January 7th 18-country mixed-teams event, the top seeds from Poland enjoyed the sun and learned how to surf in the Indian Ocean waves. “My tennis is better, for sure,” said Swiatek after her first ever surfing lesson.
In the previous edition of the United Cup, Swiatek played an important role in propelling Poland to the tournament’s semifinals. Her impressive record saw her triumph in three out of four singles matches, contributing significantly to the team’s success.
The upcoming United Cup will be played for 10 days across two Australian cities: Perth and Sydney. Under the leadership of captain Tomasz Wiktorowski, Team Poland in 2024 comprises a formidable lineup including Hubert Hurkacz, Daniel Michalski, Jan Zielinski, Katarzyna Kawa, Katarzyna Piter, and of course Swiatek. They are in Group A alongside Brazil and Spain.
At 5 p.m. local time on Saturday, Poland is geared up to take on Brazil in their opening match at the RAC Arena.
