US beats Britain to advance to United Cup mixed teams semis

Tiafoe’s victory gave the Americans a 3-1 winning lead in the best-of-five Sydney City Final. The teams were scheduled to play a later mixed doubles match.

United States Frances Tiafoe is congratulated by Great Britain’s team captain Tim Henman after defeating Britain’s Daniel Evans in their match at the United Cup tennis event in Sydney on January 4, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

Frances Tiafoe beat Britain’s Daniel Evans 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday to move the United States into the United Cup mixed teams tournament semifinals.

Tiafoe’s victory gave the Americans a 3-1 winning lead in the best-of-five Sydney City Final. The teams were scheduled to play a later mixed doubles match.

It means the U.S. will be among four teams in the semifinal portion of the tournament that begins Friday at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.

Earlier, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula gave the United States a 2-1 lead by beating Britain’s Harriet Dart 6-2, 6-0 in 57 minutes.

In the afternoon session, Madison Keys moved the U.S. ahead after rallying from a set down to defeat Katie Swan 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. But world No. 14 Cameron Norrie came back to post a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win against No. 9 Taylor Fritz to level the match.

“I think Madi really set the tone with her match,” Pegula said. “I think I did everything really well today. I could feel it. Some days you come out firing and you feel really good. I was honestly trying to settle myself down because I was seeing the ball really well today.”

Matteo Berrettini beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to give Italy a 2-1 lead over Poland in the Brisbane City Final before Poland won the fourth singles match to level it at 2-2 to send it to a deciding mixed doubles.

Earlier, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland leveled the tie by beating Italian Martina Trevisan 6-2, 6-4 after Lorenzo Musetti gave Italy the early lead by defeating Daniel Michalski 6-1, 6-1.

“I’m happy that even though Martina came back and played a really good second set I was able to finish it,” Swiatek, who was up 4-0 in the second set, said.

“I’ll be ready for mixed if it’s a tie and for sure I’ll be cheering (during the other singles matches) but yesterday I was so stressed (watching), I don’t know how you guys in the stands do it, it was so tough.”

And in the third city final in Perth, Western Australia, Croatia and Greece were level at 1-1 ahead of the two remaining singles matches and a scheduled mixed doubles.

Donna Vekic beat Despina Papamichail 6-2, 6-0 to put Croatia ahead before Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Borna Coric 6-0, 6-7 (4), 7-5 on his sixth match point.

The three city final winners and the next best-ranked team will play in Sydney from Friday to Sunday to determine the tournament champion.