Poland and US win dramatic United Cup semi-finals

Following a dramatic end to the semi-finals in Sydney, Poland will face the United States in Sunday’s final of the mixed-team United Cup.

Elena Rybakina’s victory over Kazakhstan was sealed by Iga Swiatek’s side in straight sets, while the US won with a 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

Coco Gauff beat Karolina Muchova 6-1 6-4 in the women’s singles before Czech player Tomas Machac retired when leading 7-6 (7-4) 5-6 against Taylor Fritz.

When Machac approached the net, Fritz broke back and said, “He said he had been cramping for a couple of games. I didn’t notice.”

“He was moving reasonably well, but I suppose he was attempting to play through it rather than fight it.”

” It’s really humid in here. If I could win that set and make it a third, he might start cramping later on. It’s tough conditions and it was a physical match. “

In the earlier semi-final, world number two Swiatek gave Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win over sixth-ranked Rybakina.

In the men’s singles, Alexander Shevchenko defeated Pole in a 6-3, 6-2 victory by Hubert Hurkacz earlier in the tournament.

” This win makes me really proud – it is perfect preparation for the Australian Open, “said Swiatek, in reference to the year’s first major that starts in Melbourne on 12 January.

Swiatek has never advanced past the semi-finals of the Australian Open, despite winning the US Open on the same hardcourt surface and winning the French Open on clay. Her other four Grand Slam victories were the same as the French Open.

Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion from Japan, won the Auckland Classic over unseeded American Alycia Parks in her first WTA final since 2022.

The 27-year-old showed no sign of the nerves that marked her first three matches of the tournament, overpowering her 78th-ranked opponent 6-4 6-2 to set up a final against Denmark’s world number 50 Clara Tauson.

The world number 57 said, “This is like a career first for me because I’ve never got to a final a week before Melbourne.”

Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, is currently preparing for her first final since returning to the sport a year ago. She took a break from tennis in 2023 when she became a mother.

Tauson beat American Robin Montgomery 6-4 6-3 in the other semi-final after earlier toppling the United States ‘ top seed Madison Keys 6-4 7-6 (9-7) in a quarter-final that was interrupted by rain on Friday night.

In the Brisbane International, Belarusia’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka set up a final against Russia’s Polina Kudermetova with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

Grigor Dimitrov retired with an injury while leading 6-4, 4 (4) against Czech Jiri Lehecka, ending his men’s title defense.