Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz powered the USA to victory over Poland, clinching the United Cup title on Sunday in Sydney.
Gauff overpowered Iga Swiatek in a high-stakes women’s singles match, giving the USA an early lead.
World No. 4 Taylor Fritz sealed the triumph by edging Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4) in a thrilling men’s singles encounter at Ken Rosewall Arena.
The Americans secured their second title in the 18-team competition, adding to their inaugural win in 2023, while Poland finished as runners-up for the second consecutive year.
All eyes were on the blockbuster women’s singles match, with Gauff and Swiatek both enjoying unblemished records leading up to the final.
Gauff, ranked No. 3 in the world, had only won two of her previous 13 matches against Swiatek but claimed a confidence-boosting victory at the season-ending Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals.
They traded early breaks in a high-octane start marked by powerful groundstrokes and athleticism from both players. Gauff’s consistency wore down world No. 2 Swiatek in a physical contest.
Gauff secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 52 minutes, putting one hand on the trophy for the Americans.
“I have the belief that I’m one of the best players in the world, and when I play good tennis I’m hard to beat,” Gauff said. “Today I think I played some great tennis. I’m glad I was able to get a point for Team USA. It was tough today.”
Fritz, last year’s U.S. Open finalist, had to battle past the 16th-ranked Hurkacz in a see-saw contest that had fans at Ken Rosewall Arena on the edge of their seats.
The 27-year-old American’s serve and powerful forehand helped him claim the first set before being pushed to the limit by a resilient Hurkacz.
It came down to a third-set tiebreak, with Fritz stepping up on the decisive points. He clinched his country’s triumph with a forehand winner, triggering jubilation among the American team.
The USA’s strong performance is an ominous warning for rivals ahead of the upcoming Australian Open, where Gauff reached the semifinals in 2023.
Reference(s):
Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz lead USA over Poland to United Cup title
cgtn.com
