Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz led the top-seeded United States to a sweep of second-seeded Poland, winning the United Cup championship in Sydney on Sunday.
This is the second win in three years for the Americans; Germany claimed the United Cup in 2024. The mixed-team tournament began with players from 18 countries vying for both national bragging rights and a share of $10 million in prize money.
Gauff, the World No. 3, got the Americans off to a rousing start with her 6-4, 6-4 defeat of World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, fueled by four aces and five service breaks.
Fritz, the World No. 4 on the men’s side, followed with a tough three-set win, downing Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4). The tense match featured a combined 30 aces, only one service break and each player winning 96 points.
Hong Kong Open
Alexandre Muller of France won his first ATP Tour title, coming from behind to defeat Japan’s Kei Nishikori 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Muller lost the opening set in each of the five matches he played this week, becoming just the third man to do that and go on to win a tour-level title.
Nishikori and Muller were knotted at 3-3 in the third set before Muller broke Nishikori’s next two serves and eased to victory.
Coming back from injuries, Nishikori was attempting to win his first tour title since 2019.
Brisbane International
Jiri Lehecka claimed the title in the Australian Open tune-up tournament when a back injury forced Reilly Opelka to retire.
The Czech was up 4-1 in the first set when Opelka called its quits for the day. For Lehecka, it’s his second ATP Tour title, following a victory last January in Adelaide.
Opelka missed much of the past two seasons with hip and wrist injuries.
–Field Level Media
