(Perth) Australia advanced to the quarter-finals of the United Cup with a 2-1 victory over reigning tournament champions the United States on Monday.
Matthew Ebden and Storm Hunter combined effectively in the mixed doubles decider and beat Jessica Pegula and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-1, in Perth.
Ebden and Hunter helped Australia top Group C of the 18-country mixed team tournament. The Americans took second place.
“It means a lot,” Hunter said. It’s a dream come true. Playing in front of the home crowd and playing with Matty, who is from Perth, it’s a dream come true to win and advance to the quarter-finals on home soil. »
Alex de Minaur gave Australia a 1-0 lead by defeating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2, but Pegula responded with a 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory over Ajla Tomljanovic.
World number one Iga Swiatek led Poland to the quarter-finals, winning both her singles and doubles matches in Perth, while France kept their hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Germany in Sydney .
Swiatek needed to win her singles match against Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo to keep her country alive. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina gave Spain a 1-0 lead with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Hubert Hurkacz.
Swiatek defeated Sorribes Tormo in two sets of 6-2, 6-1 to force a final duel in mixed doubles. Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Hurkacz then needed just over half an hour to close the books with a 6-0, 6-0 victory.
The French Caroline Garcia and Édouard Roger-Vasselin saved a match point in the decisive mixed doubles against Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev to win 7-6 (4), 2-6, 12-10.
“It was a crazy match and a crazy ending. I’m so happy we made it,” said Roger-Vasselin.
France can win Group D if it beats Italy on Wednesday.
Garcia had already tied the game for France when she beat Kerber 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 after Zverev defeated Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to give the Germany a perfect start.
Three-time Grand Slam singles finalist Casper Ruud kept Norway’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals alive with singles and mixed doubles victories over Croatia in Sydney.
Norway won 2-1 following a 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 victory by Ruud and Ulrikke Eikeri against Donna Vekic and Ivan Dodig in the final match.
Norway now awaits the outcome of Croatia’s clash with the Netherlands on Tuesday.
