Storm Hunter’s Comeback Fuels Australia’s United Cup Lead
On Sydney’s hard courts, Storm Hunter shook off a year of injury shadows to outlast Malene Helgo in a tense battle, handing Australia a vital 1-0 edge against Norway in the 2026 United Cup opener.
Storm Hunter walked onto the Ken Rosewall Arena with the steady gaze of a player who had stared down doubt. The 31-year-old left-hander, stepping in for the ill Maya Joint, faced Malene Helgo in Australia’s 2026 United Cup kickoff against Norway. Her 6-2, 7-6 (3) win not only clinched the opening rubber but echoed the resilience that defined her return after an Achilles surgery sidelined her from March 2024 to March 2025.
Early breaks set the tone
Hunter wasted no time, her heavy topspin forehands carving crosscourt angles that pinned Helgo deep from the baseline. The 26-year-old Norwegian, in her fourth United Cup appearance and ranked No. 532, struggled against the lefty’s serve skewing wide to the forehand side. Hunter converted two breaks in the first set, her precise inside-out shots exploiting Helgo’s flatter groundstrokes on the medium-paced hard court, wrapping the frame 6-2 amid rising crowd cheers.
The Australian’s movement belied her recent layoff, each slide and recovery sharp as she built momentum early. Helgo’s aggressive returns occasionally clipped the lines, but Hunter’s one-two patterns—deep second serves followed by forehand pressure—forced errors that turned defense into dominance. This fast start silenced any whispers of ring rust, affirming Hunter’s readiness as a former world No. 1 doubles player and Grand Slam mixed doubles champion.
Second-set fightback turns the tide
Helgo flipped the momentum in the second, surging to a 4-1 lead with inside-in backhand winners that tested Hunter’s repaired Achilles on every stretch. The Norwegian held firm through mounting pressure, her serves finding depth to keep Australia at bay. Yet Hunter rallied, breaking back with varied slice backhands that disrupted rhythm and pulled Helgo forward into weaker volleys.
Leveling at 5-5, the match hung on the 11th game, where Helgo saved three break points with deep serves and quick net approaches, holding for 6-5 as the Sydney air thickened with tension. Hunter responded with a hold of her own, her topspin returns climbing high off the hard court to force the tie-break. In this pressure cooker of mixed-team play, her adjustments highlighted the tactical depth Australia brings to the group stage.
Tie-break seals resilient victory
The tie-break unleashed Hunter’s pent-up drive, her down-the-line forehands and body serves dominating to a 7-3 finish in under two minutes. Helgo, chasing her first WTA Tour win, faded under the barrage, her flat shots skimming long as fatigue crept in. The crowd’s eruption washed over the court, a release for Hunter’s year of rehab and a signal of Australia’s intent in Perth and Sydney’s shared spotlight.
This win, born from last-minute necessity, underscores the squad’s versatility amid Joint’s illness. As the tie shifts to the men’s singles, Hunter’s grit sets a tone of comebacks, priming Australia for the knockout push in the 2026 United Cup where every rubber counts toward title contention.
