United Cup: Follow the news and results from new teams event
Great Britain have taken an unassailable lead in their United Cup tie against Australia, however Jason Kubler gave the team plenty of reasons to smile with a shock upset.
It was too little, too late, but Australia finally had reason to smile after world No. 107 Jason Kubler shocked No. 27 Dan Evans to give the hosts a long-awaited win in the United Cup.
Great Britain had already sealed the series by taking a 3-0 lead earlier on Friday evening, but Kubler’s tenacity to seal a 6-3 7-6 win – highlighted by a stunning comeback after being 5-0 down in the second set – is an important morale boost for Australia.
The travails of Team Australia to start this summer can be best summed up by youngster Maddison Inglis, representing her country at senior level for the first time.
It was put upon her 24-year-old shoulders to save Australia from defeat against Britain. She couldn’t.
But two days prior, she was laid up in bed with a terrible stomach virus caught on Christmas Day.
She wasn’t even supposed to play at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.
The first time she was able to get on a court and hold a racquet since her illness was Wednesday, the same day Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the team due to injury, throwing their preparation into chaos.
And while that saga has continued to unravel, with Team Australia clearly irked at his later notice, their female star Ajla Tomljanovic was also forced to withdraw from her match against Harriet Dart on Friday.
The news broke hours before the match, but Inglis was told on Tuesday evening.
“Obviously disappointing for Ajla, I know Ajla as a player and person and she never pulls out or doesn’t play, she’s playing all year and fights so hard,” Inglis said.
“I was really upset for her, and hope her injury is all good for the next match and the Aus Open.
“You never really sure what’s going to happen, but the last couple of days have been ‘We’re not sure, so get ready as though you are playing’. And then I think she felt yesterday she wasn’t ready to play a match, so they called me up.”
It wasn’t ideal.
Dart prevailed 6-4 6-4 to give Great Britain an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
“Christmas Day I got really sick, I didn’t do anything for Christmas because I wasn’t feeling well so that was disappointing, but we flew here, I didn’t get out of bed for a couple of days,” Inglis said.
“So to come out here and play a match tonight, I didn’t think I’d be doing that a couple of days ago. I’m obviously disappointed with the result, but proud of the effort and the way I was able to play with the prep that I didn’t really want.”
Australia was already 2-nil down after Alex de Minaur and Zoe Hives were defeated on Thursday night, and had to win their remaining three matches to claim victory over the Brits.
Inglis, ranked No. 184 in the world, broke Dart’s serve late in the second, threatening to take it to a deciding set, but the 98th-ranked the Brit held her nerve to break back and close the match out on her own serve.
“It was obviously disappointing, that was the deciding tie and Australia can’t win now, I felt really bad for the team,” Inglis said.
“It’s different not playing just for yourself.
“I had a little chat to Sam [Stosur] and she’s awesome, she was really positive and proud of me, which is pretty cool for your idol to be proud of you.
“We obviously have not got the result we want so far, but we’ve had a few blows with a few pullouts in the team which is always tough.
“Things are moving around, that’s what happens in an event like this. We’re all really enjoying it, everyone is giving it everything they’ve got, we’re having an awesome time out there supporting and playing.”
Next up for Australia is Spain, featuring Rafael Nadal.
To have any chance of making the final four semi-finals, Australia would need to hammer Spain, and have other results go their way.
GREAT BRITAIN TOO GOOD FOR AUSTRALIA
Australia has been smashed by Great Britain in the United Cup, with late replacement Maddison Inglis losing in straight sets to Harriet Dart giving the visitors an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Dart prevailed 6-4 6-4 at Ken Rosewall Arena, and Australia now has an unlikely chance at qualifying for the semi-finals unless they can pull off a remarkable upset against a stacked Spain team, and other results go their way.
Australia was already 2-nil down after Alex de Minaur and Zoe Hives were defeated on Thursday night, and had to win their remaining three matches to claim victory over the Brits.
Their chances of launching a comeback against Great Britain suffered a major blow, with Ajla Tomljanovic withdrawing from the must-win match hours before, putting Inglis in the hot seat.
Tomljanovic suffered a left knee injury, forcing her to pull out of her clash against Dart.
While Inglis fought hard and broke Dart’s serve late in the second, threatening to take it to a deciding set, the Brit held her nerve to break back and close the match out on her own serve.
The remaining games between Australian Jason Kubler and Dan Evans, followed by the mixed doubles match between Sam Stosur and John Peers against Dart and Evans is essentially an exercise in saving face for Australia.
8:45PM SWISS TOO GOOD FOR KAZAKHSTAN
– Emma Greenwood
Switzerland has taken an unbeatable 3-0 lead in their tie with Kazakhstan after playing captain Stan Wawrinka won his rubber against Alexander Bublik 6-3 7-6.
The three-time grand slam champion was commanding in the opening set but things were tighter in the second, with the match looking as though it would head to a decider before Wawrinka forced a tie-break which he dominated.
After Belinda Bencic and Marc-Andrea Huesler won their singles rubbers on Thursday, Wawrinka’s victory sealed the tie for the Swiss, although the remaining matches – a women’s singles clash between Jill Teichmann and Zhibek Kulambayeva and mixed doubles, where Wawrinka and Bencic will face Bublik and Yulia Putintseva – will still be played with pool placings and rankings points on the line.
Injuries have seen Wawrinka slip to no. 148 in the world but there were glimpses of the power and masterful strokeplay that took the 37-year-old to 16 career titles including the Australian Open, French and US Open championships.
“I had a really good off-season, I put a lot of work into it and it’s great to be back in Australia,” Wawrinka said.
“It’s been a long time since I played here so I was super happy when they announced this United Cup and to play here in Brisbane.
“I have been working really hard to be back at a better level and I was really happy with the performance today.”
Wawrinka, also the Swiss captain, has been urging his teammates on courtside at Pat Rafter Arena.
“It’s an amazing experience to play this United Cup and put the women’s and men’s teams together and to have a chance to be a captain,” he said.
“I will learn a lot.”
ITALY THROUGH TO NEXT ROUND
– Emma Greenwood
Italy has won its opening tie at the United Cup, taking an unbeatable 3-2 lead over Brazil after winning both singles matches on day two of their contest in Brisbane.
Despite Brazil taking the early lead on Thursday through world no. 15 Beatriz Haddad Maia, Italy soon hit back, with Lorenzo Musetti winning his clash against Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves 6-3 6-4 to level the scores at a point each.
Italy had the upper hand on Friday though, with Matteo Berrettini winning his singles clash against Thiago Monteiro 6-4 7-6, avoiding a deciding set after snaring a tight tie-break 9-7.
Lucia Bronzetti had an easier path, beating Laura Pigossi 6-0 6-2.
Camilla Rosatello and Marco Bortolotti will still line up against Brazil’s Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos in the mixed doubles despite the overall result being beyond doubt, with overall pool positions and ranking points on the line.
Bronzetti was happy to get the job done for Italy despite tightening up in the final stages.
“It was super close and a little bit of tension (at the end) but I’m very happy to win this match and to bring a point to Italy,” she said, thanking her teammates sitting courtside for their support in the final stages.
“We are a great team, we are friends and so it is very important o have them supporting me and I will of course support them in their matches, so it’s special.”
Stan Wawrinka will take on Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the first of tonight’s matches where he can give Switzerland the tie victory if he wins his rubber after Belinda Bencic and Marc-Andrea Heusler’s singles success on Thursday gave them a 2-0 lead heading into today’s play.
ANOTHER AUSSIE BLOW AS STAR RULED OUT
– Jamie Pandaram
Australia’s chances of launching a comeback against Great Britain in the United Cup have suffered a major blow, with Ajla Tomljanovic withdrawing from tonight’s must-win match.
Tomljanovic has suffered a left knee injury, forcing her to pull out of her clash against Britain’s Harriet Dart.
She will be replaced in that match by Maddison Inglis.
Australia is already 2-nil down after Alex de Minaur and Zoe Hives were defeated last night, and they must win their remaining three matches to claim victory over the Brits.
DOUBLE BLOW HAS AUSSIES ON BACK FOOT IN UNITED CUP
– Jamie Pandaram and Emma Greenwood
Australia suffered an early blow in the inaugural United Cup after locals Alex de Minaur and Zoe Hives were beaten in straight sets by British rivals, already trailing 2-0 with three games to come in the United Cup.
World No. 14 Cameron Norrie defeated de Minaur 6-3 6-3 at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena, aided by a host of unforced errors by the Australian, while Katie Swan beat Hives 6-4 6-3.
Great Britain’s 2-nil lead means Australia must win the three remaining matches between the countries, before they take on Spain next week.
De Minaur made 22 unforced errors to Norrie’s nine, and couldn’t break his opponent’s serve.
Norrie broke de Minaur at 3-1 in the first and comfortably claimed the set.
At 4-2 down in the second, de Minaur saved three break points to win his service game and keep Australia’s hopes alive.
But Norrie won the next two points to seal victory, despite de Minaur saving two match points.
“Well, look, it’s the first match of a new season, [you’re] either going to start well or not. It probably wasn’t my best performance, but [I’ve] got lots to look forward to,” de Minaur said.
“I think I made a couple too many errors today in certain areas, and just didn’t play my overall best tennis. It’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
“Ultimately you want to start the season in the best way possible and really get in a groove early on. Sometimes it happens. First time you step out on court, it feels like everything has worked.
“Obviously this is my first match in a while, and it just didn’t click today. I’d love to hopefully build on that and do my best to get that feeling back.”
Later, Hives succumbed to the pressure of Swan.
Australia’s hopes will rest with Ajla Tomljanovic and Jason Kubler, who will take on Harriet Dart and Dan Evans respectively on Friday night.
The new teams event, featuring five matches including a mixed doubles contest as the fifth game, is being played across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
11PM BENCIC GIVES SWITZERLAND AN EARLY EDGE
– Emma Greenwood
World No. 12 Belinda Bencic has been made to fight hard for the opening point in Switzerland’s tie against Kazakhstan despite eventually winning in straight sets.
Bencic was a drawcard for the Brisbane night session and had to fight hard to overcome Yulia Putintseva (51) in an entertaining 7-6 6-3 victory on Pat Rafter Arena.
“I felt good, I felt very feisty staying in the match, fighting for every point even though at the start (it was tough),” Bencic said of coming back from 4-1 down in the first set and a deficit again in the second.
“Of course it’s a new match and season, you have a different environment and you have to get into the match and see how it goes but I’m pretty happy with how it went and it felt really good once I was in the battle.”
6.20PM BRAZIL AND ITALY LOCKED AT 1-1
– Emma Greenwood
Lorenzo Musetti has locked up the United Cup match between Italy and Brazil after winning his singles clash with Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves 6-3 6-4 in Brisbane.
Brazil took an early lead after Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Martina Trevisan 6-2 6-0 in the opening rubber.
After a tight opening to the first set, world no. 15 Haddad Maia found her groove and won comfortably to seal the first points of the competition at Pat Rafter Arena.
“The first match for everyone in the pre-season is a different kind of competition,” Hadad Maia said.
The last time the pair played, Haddad Maia had taken three sets to overcome Trevisan on her way to becoming the first Brazilian woman to reach a WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open in Toronto.
But she had the Italian’s number more quickly in Brisbane.
“I was trying to push myself every single point to play better to improve my game and being aggressive and that mentality that I was building during the game helped me to improve until the end,” she said.
Teammate Rodrigues Alves was unable to extend the lead despite a spirited second-set fightback against Musetti that threatened to take the match to a decider.
But the Italian refocused to get the job done in straight sets and lock the tie up ahead of tomorrow’s matches.
Matteo Berrettini will take on Thiago Monteiro in the men’s singles, with Lucia Bronzetti up for Italy against Laura Pigossi in the women’s reverse singles before Camilla Rosatello and Marco Bortolotti line up against Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos in the mixed doubles.
THE MESSAGE WORLD NO. 1 WANTS TO SEND BARTY
– Emma Greenwood
Runaway world No. 1 Iga Swiatek hopes to reunite with Ash Barty in Brisbane this week to thank the woman who fuelled her record-breaking season.
Swiatek, who admitted to crying for more than half an hour on learning of Barty’s retirement earlier this year, said she had mixed feelings on learning of the Aussie’s shock call.
“When Ash retired, I felt like mixed emotions because I felt like she still has the best tennis out there,” Swiatek said in Brisbane at a media event with her Poland teammates ahead of their United Cup campaign start on Thursday.
“Hopefully maybe this week we are going to be able to meet and I’m going to say it straight to her, but she really inspired me to work harder.
“Her different game style made me realise that there is always room for improvement.
“Even right now I feel like there is a lot I can change and improve and I’m pretty excited that even when I had such a nice season this year I can do some different stuff.”
Swiatek essentially inherited the No. 1 ranking after Barty’s retirement in March and while the Aussie hailed the depth in the women’s game at the time, she could not have predicted the run the Pole was about to go on.
Swiatek made nine finals, snaring eight titles including the French Open and US Open this year, including an unbeaten streak of 37 matches between February and July to show she more than deserves to be on top of the world.
And while she is proud of her record, she conceded that ascending to No. 1 due to Barty’s retirement left her feeling she needed to prove herself.
“At first I felt like I wasn’t sure if this is my place to be, you know,” Swiatek said.
“Ash, she seemed like a huge role model for everybody in terms of her behaviour on court but also off court.
“So I felt like she really … how’s it called … she really set the bar pretty high, so I need to show it to people but also show it to myself that I’m in the right place.”
The woman Barty called an “exceptional human” holds a massive rankings lead over world No. 2, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, but is focused on improving again to stay at the top.
“At the beginning of (next) year, I’m going to try to kind of cut off everything that happened last year and just focus on the future because I feel like I can take a lot of experience from these tournaments last year, but I don’t want to really hold on to that too much, because I want to go forward and kind of focus on my next goals,” she said.
“My goal is to just focus on the future and try to improve as a tennis player.”
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