Tennis: Kvitova downs world No. 3 Pegula but US win United Cup tie

SYDNEY – Petra Kvitova is proud of her Czech team’s fighting spirit after she upset world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in Sydney on Friday, but the United States still won their United Cup tie 4-1 against the Czech Republic.

The two-time Wimbledon champion clinched a thriller, saving seven set points in the first set before winning 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 at the Ken Rosewall Arena.

After the Americans won the opening two matches through Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys on Thursday, Kvitova’s victory gave her country hope in the inaugural tournament, which features two men’s and two women’s singles matches along with a mixed doubles.

But the US clinched the tie when Tomas Machac injured his ankle against 19th-ranked Francis Tiafoe and was forced to retire hurt while down 6-3, 2-4.

“We keep fighting,” Kvitova said. “I think USA is such a great team with great players in the team. We are not really favourites here, but we are fighting every match, every point. That’s our team spirit.”

Kvitova, ranked 16th, looked back to her best against Pegula, who burst into the top 10 in 2022 by winning the WTA 1000 tournament in Guadalajara for the biggest title of her career.

After a topsy-turvy first set that could have gone either way, she got a double break at the start of the second set and while the American got one back, Kvitova was able to hold on and take the match in two hours.

Tiafoe, a US Open semi-finalist in September, started brilliantly against Machac, racing through the first set with relative ease.

Machac fought back in the second and was a break up before rolling his ankle and retiring.

“He picked up his game and broke me twice – I was a little sloppy there,” Tiafoe said.

“At 3-2 he played a great game to break me and we were in the midst of a battle in that 4-2 game.

“Unfortunately that happened – you don’t want to see that and I hope he’ll be all good for the Australian Open.”

The Czech Republic will face Alexander Zverev’s Germany on Saturday, while the US have two days off before they close out group play against the Germans.

In Brisbane, Italy wrapped up their tie against Brazil when they won both singles matches, with the tournament being played across three cities.

Matteo Berrettini downed Thiago Monteiro in a gruelling clash 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) before Lucia Bronzetti saw off an outclassed Laura Pigossi 6-0, 6-2.

In Perth, world No. 6 Maria Sakkari gave Greece an unassailable 3-0 lead over Bulgaria when she beat Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-2.

“I was a little nervous in the beginning, especially being 2-0 up in the tie I knew my match was crucial in winning the tie,” said Sakkari. “She was very solid, but I found my game and got better.”

Her teammates Stefanos Tsitsipas and Despina Papamichail won their matches on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios said the Australian team threw him “under the bus” after his decision to withdraw from the United Cup to be in top condition for the Australian Open in January. The world No. 22 pulled out of the event on Wednesday with an injury.

Australia co-captain Lleyton Hewitt said on Thursday that he had been unaware of Kyrgios’ withdrawal until the 27-year-old’s announcement and expressed frustration over his lack of communication.

On Friday, Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic pulled out of her tie against Britain’s Harriet Dart due to a left knee injury and Kyrgios responded to a Twitter post wondering if she would be treated similarly by co-captain Samantha Stosur.

“Mmm I wonder if Stosur will throw her under the bus like our captain did for me... hard to prepare when you don’t know what’s going on,” he said.

Kyrgios said he had been in communication with Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley as well as United Cup tournament director Stephen Farrow about his injury.

The mercurial Australian trained on the practice courts at Sydney Olympic Park on Friday, as he looks ahead to the Jan 16-29 Australian Open. REUTERS, AFP