United Cup: United States, Kazakhstan Win, Move On To Semifinals

Taylor Fritz, Coco Gauff, United States, United Cup
Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff (photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images)

PERTH/SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, January 1, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

On a busy New Year’s Day Down Under at the United Cup, the United States and Kazakhstan wrapped up their quarterfinal ties in Perth by winning both singles matches. Team USA defeated China 3-0, while Kazakhstan knocked out defending champion Germany 2-1. The Germans played without World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who pulled out of his singles match with a biceps injury.

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Poland came from behind and pulled out a 2-1 tie victory over Czechia to win Group B that was decided by mixed doubles, and Great Britain won Group F despite dropping a 2-1 decision to Australia.

Fritz clinches U.S. quarterfinal tie victory over China

World No. 4 Taylor Fritz celebrated New Year’s Day with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 45 Zhang Zhizhen in an hour and 19 minutes that clinched a U.S. victory in its quarterfinal tie against China. The win, coupled with an earlier 7-6 (4), 6-2 win by World No. 3 Coco Gauff over Zhang Shuai, advanced to United States to Saturday’s semifinal round in Sydney.

Later, the Americans made it a shut-out victory over China by winning the mixed doubles point, with substitutes Desirae Krawcyzk and Robert Galloway defeating Zhang Shuai and Sun Fajing, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 10-3.

Fritz dropped only four points on his serve and faced no break points against Zhang. He outpointed his opponent 67-49.

“Coco did such a good job putting us ahead and giving me the chance to come out and put us through,” Fritz said during his on-court interview, after defeating Zhang for the first time in two meetings. “There was a little bit of pressure because I didn’t want to be the one who loses it for the team after Coco won all her matches this week. I played a really solid match. Really happy with it. …

“I felt like I’ve gotten better with each of the matches I’ve played and this match tonight definitely felt like I was back in the flow of how things were feeling at the end of the year.”

The United States will await the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal between Italy and Czechia.

Rybakina, Shevchenko lift Kazakhstan into semifinals

No. 78-ranked Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan rallied in his match against No. 254 Daniel Masur of Germany, who was substituting for injured World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, and won a physical battle, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2. The victory by the 24-year-old Shevchenko, making his United Cup debut this week, clinched the quarterfinal tie for Kazakhstan, which beat Germany 2-1.

“It was a struggle in this heat, he made me run a lot, he was more aggressive,” Shevchenko said during his on-court interview of his two-hour, 13-minute tussle against Masur. “That’s why I got tired, my head was spinning.

“I’m really proud that I found this win for our team, because I was fighting hard. I saw the faces of my team, and they didn’t want to go to a decider. I was also a little bit nervous, because I knew if I won, the tie was over.”

Earlier, World No. 6 Elena Rybakina gave Kazakhstan at 1-0 lead following her dominating 65 minute 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 80 Laura Siegemund of Germany, in which she outpointed her opponent 54-33.

“Feeling better on the court and physically also,” Rybakina said afterward. “It was a long trip. It’s not easy at the beginning but really happy with the performance and really looking forward to the next match.”

Germany’s only point came as Siegemund and Tim Puetz won mixed doubles by defeating Zhibek Kulambayeva and Dmitry Popko, 6-2, 6-2. Siegemund won all three of her mixed doubles matches in Perth.

Kazakhstan, which was eliminated in its United Cup debut two years ago, will face the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between Poland and Great Britain.

Swiatek wins twice, Poland battles past Czechia

Poland rallied to pull out a 2-1 tie victory over Czechia to win Group B Wednesday afternoon and advance to the quarterfinal round. A finalist a year ago, Poland (2-0) won behind mixed doubles pair Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek, who defeated Tomas Machac and Karolina Muchova, 7-6 (3), 6-3, in an hour and 24 minutes. Hurkacz and Swiatek combined to serve 11 aces and outpointed the Czech duo 65-58.

“Honestly I was sure they were going to play amazing tennis because they have always great teams in doubles and mixed doubles. They are kind of raised that way,” Swiatek said during her on-court interview. “But I knew that we have the game to win it. For sure we were leading from the beginning.

“In the first set it got tight at the end, but I kind of felt that we were leading anyway so in the tie-break we just used that. In the end it seemed that we had everything under control.”

The Polish pair converted five of 11 break points.

“Iga is just so solid and you really can count on her shots,” Hurkacz said.

Earlier, although the World No. 16 Hurkacz fired 14 aces, won 70 percent of his second-serve points and won six more total points during their one-hour, 55-minute skirmish, the 25th-ranked Machac emerged with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory, which gave Czechia a 1-0 lead.

To his credit, Machac won 83 percent of his first-serve points and garnered eight of the last nine points of the match en route to his first win of the young 2025 season.

“It was a difficult match from the beginning. I was a little bit tired from the match with Casper [Ruud],” Machac said in his on-court interview, referring to his 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-4 loss on Sunday to the World No. 6 from Norway, which lasted two hours and 54 minutes.

“It was a great match and Hubi is an unbelievable player. It’s always a pleasure to share the court with him. In the end, I was just fighting. I’m really happy with my mental [game] in the end.”

Later, World No. 2 Swiatek leveled the tie with her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Muchova that lasted nearly two hours. Swiatek converted all four of her break-points opportunities and outpointed Muchova 77-68.

“Honestly, I love playing against Karolina because she always brings precision and intensity and a little bit of a different game than most of the girls,” Swiatek said. “So, for sure it’s a challenge. I’m happy that even though I lost my serve when I thought it’s going to be easier, I’m happy that I got my intensity even higher in the last two games to break again.”

Going into the tie, both countries knew that they would move into the last eight with a win in the tie. Despite losing, Czechia (1-1) advanced by finishing as the best second-placed country in Sydney.

Australia eliminated by Great Britain despite winning tie

Host Australia triumphed over Great Britain 2-1 Wednesday evening at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney. However, the British (1-1) advanced to the quarterfinals as the winner of Group F, while Australia (1-1) was eliminated.

Hometown hero Alex de Minaur contributed to both of Australia’s points. First, the World No. 9 from Sydney scored a solid 6-2, 6-1 victory over Billy Harris of Great Britain in an hour and 16 minutes, which sent the tie to a deciding match. However, de Minaur and Olivia Gadecki did not beat Charles Broom and Olivia Nicholas by a wide enough margin – they won 6-3, 7-6 (3) – to earn the final quarterfinal berth, which was set aside for Sydney’s best second-place team. (Czechia earned the spot.)

“No other place I would rather be than right here, right now with you guys,” de Minaur said in his on-court interview, much to the delight of the Australian fans, who came out in support of their home-country favorites.

Earlier, de Minaur’s fiancée, World No. 24 Katie Boulter, won her match over the 97th-ranked Gadecki, 6-2, 6-1, in 70 minutes. Her victory clinched first place in Group F for Great Britain.

“I’ve been trying to avoid all the stats on all this but we were at dinner with Laura Robson last night and she thankfully told me I had to win in straight sets,” Boulter said after her win. “So I was feeling the pressure from last night, so really appreciate that, Laura.

Boulter, who converted five of 10 break points, outpointed Gadecki 58-36 for her second win of the week.

“Very happy to start my new year like that,” Boulter said. “I feel like I’ve lost a lot of sleep recently over the thought of playing my fiancé in doubles so I’m so tired. I’m just so happy to get through this rubber, I’m not going to lie.”

Around the United Cup

Lleyton Hewitt has been the face of Australian tennis for more than two decades, first as a former World No. 1-ranked player who is the most recent Australian man to win a major title – at the 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledon Championships – and, more recently, as team captain of the Australian Davis Cup and United Cup teams.

The 43-year-old native of Adelaide, who guided Team Australia to a 2-1 win over Team Great Britain Wednesday evening, was asked during a recent team news conference to compare and contrast his roles of coaching men at the Davis Cup and a mixed-team format at the United Cup.

Lleyton Hewitt

Lleyton Hewitt (left) with Olivia Gadecki and Alex de Minaur (photo: Tennis Australia/Peter Staples)

“It’s good to do both. … I have a good team behind me here. And I have the last few years sort of helped out with the women’s players, as well, which makes life a lot easier for me to go out there on the court,” he said.

“I feel like one of my biggest strengths is, obviously, tactics during a match but also motivating the players. I think it’s really important to know how your players respond to different situations, especially when they’re under pressure. Most of the guys, you know, I know them inside out, from dealing with them on the Davis Cup level.

“The women, that’s one thing you have sort of got to work on that connection a little bit. But they have their private coaches here, as well, so it’s a unique dynamic. I just try and help out where possible. If I can add a little bit of experience here and there that might add one percent, two percent, three percent, that might help us get over the line. Then, hopefully it’s a positive.”

Wednesday’s United Cup results

Thursday’s United Cup order of play

By the numbers

Taylor Fritz owns a 7-3 win-loss record at the United Cup, including 4-1 in 2023 en route to the title with Team USA in the inaugural edition. This year, Fritz is 2-1 in United Cup singles matches and 2-0 in mixed doubles. The 27-year-old Californian enjoyed a career-best season in 2024, becoming the first American man to play in a major final (US Open) since 2009, and first to play in the Nitto ATP Finals since 2006.

“Quotable …”

“I like the atmosphere. I think there’s more people than a normal tournament, maybe at the early stages. It’s really nice. I like it. I like when there are a lot of Italians, of course!”

– Jasmine Paolini of Team Italy, during her team’s post-match news conference on Tuesday after defeating France 3-0.

 

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