Coco Gauff shocked as United States reach United Cup quarters, Hubert Hurkacz stuns Alexander Zverev

SYDNEY – World No. 4 Coco Gauff suffered her first defeat at tennis’ mixed-team United Cup on Jan 5, when she was stunned by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0 in a blow to her Australian Open preparations.

But after Taylor Fritz won to level the Group A tie for the United States, Gauff made amends with Christian Harrison in the mixed doubles, beating Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers and Inigo Cervantes 7-6 (7-5), 6-0 to seal a quarter-final spot.

Gauff had won all six of her previous United Cup singles matches for the US and had a 3-0 record in mixed doubles.

It was the first win over a top-five player for Bouzas Maneiro.

“I know Coco and she’s a fighter,” the 42nd-ranked Spaniard said in Perth.

“She’s there all the time in the match, so I knew that I had to be there. Even if you are 3-0 or 4-0 up, you have to be ready.”

World No. 9 Fritz, who is battling a knee problem, needed more than three hours to beat Jaume Munar 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (8-6).

“I was getting exhausted late in the second set, I had to unload five or six shots just to win a single point,” said Fritz, who saved a match point in the third set tiebreak.

“I started feeling my knee towards the end but it didn’t get any worse. It was not bad enough to stop me from playing through.”

In a Group F tie in Sydney, Germany’s world No. 3 Alexander Zverev was also on the end of a shock United Cup result, beaten 6-3, 6-4 by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, who had not played since June because of knee surgery.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been competing. Seven months I’ve been going through difficult times with the team and it was very challenging,” Hurkacz said.

“We went through a long period of time not competing and not knowing when we would be able to be back on court again.

“I was just trying to cherish and enjoy every moment here on the court today.”

Former world No. 6 Hurkacz has tumbled to 83rd in the rankings but faced just one break point in his 83-minute victory.

“I was serving quite well. I was finding nice spots, so that’s definitely a nice feeling to really have good rhythm on the serve,” he said.

“Just so pleased with the performance and just also so much fun to see the fans again.”

Former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was forced to battle hard to clinch the tie for Poland with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Eva Lys.

She dug deep to secure the decisive break in the 10th game of the final set to close out victory in just under two and a half hours.

Zverev and Laura Siegemund also lost the mixed doubles dead rubber against Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to seal a 3-0 win for the Poles.

Earlier, the Czech Republic knocked out Norway with a 3-0 Group D win in Sydney. In a late Group E tie, Greece qualified for the quarter-finals after overcoming Britain in Perth.

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Billy Harris 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) in the opening singles match, before Maria Sakkari clinched a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Emma Raducanu.

Elsewhere, defending champion Jiri Lehecka outlasted fellow Czech Tomas Machac over three sets on Jan 5 to book his place in the second round of the season-opening Brisbane International.

Lehecka, the third seed, saw off his occasional training partner 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 in almost 2½ hours on Pat Rafter Arena.

The 24-year-old has won two tournaments in his career, both in Australia.

“The weather and the court conditions here are things that I look forward to,” he said. “There’s no better place to start the season than here.”

It was the Czech pair’s first meeting on tour, but Lehecka said he and Machac knew each other well.

“It’s never easy – I’ve known Tomas since we were kids and we actually practised together before we came here to Brisbane,” he said.

“It was a great match – I think the level was high for a first match of the season for both of us, so I’m super happy for the win.”

Lehecka now plays American Sebastian Korda, who beat Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.

In another key match on Jan 5, top seed Daniil Medvedev demolished Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-3 in just 69 minutes to set up a second-round date with American two-time US Open semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe.

Medvedev said: “Sometimes you can play well and lose, but I know that also when I play well, I win a lot of matches. So I’m happy to play well today and to win the match.” AFP, REUTERS