Iga Swiatek of Poland, left, shakes arms with Sara Sorribes Tormoof Spain after Swiatek‘s win through the United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
| Picture Credit score: 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 had been overwhelmed by hosts Australia.
The two-1 victory for Australia propelled them into the final eight as effectively.
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, dropping 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The highest-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 enjoying combined doubles was good expertise.
“It is classes for the long run and nice apply,” the 22-year-old mentioned. “I hardly play combined. You utilize completely different expertise, it is about feeling the geometry of the courtroom.”
Hurkacz credited his teammate with doing a lot of the onerous yards.
“She carried me all through the entire match, in each sport she was making superb pictures,” the world quantity 9 mentioned.
‘Taking part in for our lives’
Australia needed to work onerous to hitch Poland within the quarter-finals however emerged with a wonderful over the USA.
Alex de Minaur bought the ball rolling for the hosts, nullifying the large serve of American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2.
The Twelfth-ranked winner wanted 4 match factors and 90 minutes to win.
“At the moment was a bit little bit of “new 12 months, new me,” mentioned de Minaur.
“I used to be in an excellent headspace, issues labored out effectively.
“I performed the kind of tennis I wished to play, I am proud of that.
“He has explosive firepower and I couldn’t let him dictate play.”
Ajla Tomljanovic was unable to get previous world quantity 5 Jessica Pegula, with the American levelling the tie after a decent 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory.
However Australia accomplished the night’s work in combined doubles, with Storm Hunter and Matt Ebden defeating Pegula and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-1.
“We had been enjoying for our lives,” Ebden mentioned.
“We knew we needed to to all the things doable, each level, each sport.”
Hunter mentioned it was a really particular second.
“Taking part in in entrance of the house crowd and enjoying with Matty, a Perth native, it’s a dream come true to win and go into the quarter-finals at residence,” she mentioned.
In Sydney, France prevailed by the identical rating over Germany.
Germany’s two-time ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev wanted to dig deep to get previous Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and provides Germany a 1-0 lead over France.
It appeared they’d wrap up the tie when former world primary Angelique Kerber took the primary set towards Caroline Garcia 6-1, however she crumbled to lose the subsequent two 6-2, 6-2 and ship it to a combined doubles decider.
Kerber, on her means again from maternity go away, returned to group up with Zverev towards Garcia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, with the French clinching the tie by profitable the combined doubles rubber 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 12-10.
Earlier in Sydney, a pointy Casper Ruud received his second straight singles match earlier than backing up within the combined doubles to steer Norway previous Croatia.
World quantity 24 Donna Vekic floor previous unheralded Malene Helgo 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to present the Croats a profitable begin to the Group F tie.
However three-time Grand Slam finalist Ruud swept previous Borna Coric 6-4, 6-1 in simply 89 minutes to degree 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 misplaced to the Netherlands on the weekend.
“I am motivated for the brand new 12 months, I am recent and I am prepared,” mentioned world quantity 11 Ruud. “One other nice singles match. I am very blissful to start out the brand new 12 months that means.”
