Iga Swiatek of Poland, left, shakes fingers with Sara Sorribes Tormoof Spain after Swiatek‘s win throughout the United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Iga Swiatek left Spain reeling on Monday as Poland booked a 2-1 win to maneuver into the quarter-finals of the United Cup while holders United States have been crushed by hosts Australia.
The 2-1 victory for Australia propelled them into the final eight as properly.
World primary Swiatek confirmed no mercy to Sara Sorribes Tormo in a 6-2, 6-1 singles victory earlier than teaming up with Hubert Hurkacz to clinch the tie with a 6-0, 6-0 combined doubles thrashing in simply 53 minutes.
Hurkacz was ambushed within the day’s opening singles, shedding 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The top-seeded Poles completed Group A play with an ideal 2-0 report and await a last-eight opponent.
Swiatek, who has misplaced solely seven video games in two singles matches to start out her countdown to the Australian Open, mentioned taking part in combined doubles was good expertise.
“It’s lessons for the future and great practice,” the 22-year-old mentioned. “I hardly ever play mixed. You use different skills, it’s about feeling the geometry of the court.”
Hurkacz credited his teammate with doing many of the onerous yards.
“She carried me throughout the whole match, in every game she was making amazing shots,” the world quantity 9 mentioned.
‘Playing for our lives’
Australia needed to work onerous to hitch Poland within the quarter-finals however emerged with a superb over the United States.
Alex de Minaur acquired the ball rolling for the hosts, nullifying the massive serve of American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2.
The Twelfth-ranked winner wanted 4 match factors and 90 minutes to win.
“Today was a little bit of “new 12 months, new me,” said de Minaur.
“I used to be in an awesome headspace, issues labored out properly.
“I played the type of tennis I wanted to play, I’m happy with that.
“He has explosive firepower and I couldn’t let him dictate play.”
Ajla Tomljanovic was unable to get past world number five Jessica Pegula, with the American levelling the tie after a tight 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory.
But Australia completed the evening’s work in mixed doubles, with Storm Hunter and Matt Ebden defeating Pegula and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-1.
“We have been taking part in for our lives,” Ebden said.
“We knew we needed to to every part doable, each level, each recreation.”
Hunter said it was a very special moment.
“Playing in entrance of the house crowd and taking part in with Matty, a Perth native, it’s a dream come true to win and go into the quarter-finals at house,” she said.
In Sydney, France prevailed by the same score over Germany.
Germany’s two-time ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev needed to dig deep to get past Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and give Germany a 1-0 lead over France.
It seemed they would wrap up the tie when former world number one Angelique Kerber took the first set against Caroline Garcia 6-1, but she crumbled to lose the next two 6-2, 6-2 and send it to a mixed doubles decider.
Kerber, on her way back from maternity leave, returned to team up with Zverev against Garcia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, with the French clinching the tie by winning the mixed doubles rubber 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 12-10.
Earlier in Sydney, a sharp Casper Ruud won his second straight singles match before backing up in the mixed doubles to steer Norway past Croatia.
World number 24 Donna Vekic ground past unheralded Malene Helgo 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to give the Croats a winning start to the Group F tie.
But three-time Grand Slam finalist Ruud swept past Borna Coric 6-4, 6-1 in just 89 minutes to level proceedings, then partnered with Ulrikke Eikeri to beat Vekic and Ivan Dodig 6-2, 3-6, 10-7.
It was a much-needed win for Norway, who lost to the Netherlands at the weekend.
“I’m motivated for the brand new 12 months, I’m contemporary and I’m prepared,” said world number 11 Ruud. “Another nice singles match. I’m very joyful to start out the brand new 12 months that means.”
