Coco Gauff has issued a daunting warning to her rivals after steering the star-studded Group USA into the United Cup quarterfinals for a 3rd straight 12 months.
Straight-set victories for Gauff and fellow massive gun Taylor Fritz in Perth on Tuesday earned the People an unbeatable 2-0 lead of their tie with Croatia.
Champions two years in the past, Group USA topped Group A and can return to RAC Enviornment on Wednesday evening to face China for a semifinal berth.
The Stars and Stripes are sizzling favourites to go all the best way after residing as much as their top-seeded billing.
Contemporary off his best season but, when he reached his maiden grand slam ultimate on the US Open and in addition misplaced to world primary Jannik Sinner within the ATP Finals decider, the fourth-ranked Fritz blasted previous Borna Coric 6-3 6-2 to seal the USA’s passage to the final eight.
Taylor Fritz simply accounted for Borna Coric within the tie towards Croatia. (Getty Photos: Zhou Dan)
Gauff then underlined the People’ title favouritism with a vengeful 6-4 6-2 win over Donna Vekic as Croatia completed the event empty-handed after additionally dropping their opening tie to Canada.
The world quantity three misplaced to Vekic on the Paris Olympics earlier than the Croat wound up with a silver medal however was no match for Gauff of their rematch.
“Actually pleased with how I performed at this time,” Gauff mentioned.
“She’s an ideal participant. The Olympics loss harm so I positively was desirous about it simply as motivation to do higher and I am completely satisfied to ship my workforce by.”
Nonetheless solely 20, Gauff is already a grand slam champion and completed the 2024 common season in gorgeous trend, including the WTA Finals crown to the China Open title she received a month earlier.
However she’s not content material.
In an ominous warning forward of subsequent month’s Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Gauff declared her New Yr’s decision to “simply do higher” in 2025.
Group C winners Kazakhstan will tackle defending champions Germany, who topped Group E, within the first Cup quarterfinal in Perth on Wednesday morning.
Upset win helps Italy advance previous France into quarters
Flavio Cobolli dug deep to assert a 6-3 6-7 (8-10) 6-2 upset win over France’s Ugo Humbert in Sydney to make sure Italy’s development.
Group Italy wanted to win only one match in Tuesday’s conflict at Ken Rosewall Enviornment to advance, and Cobolli did simply that on New Yr’s eve.
Humbert appeared set to clinch a straightforward victory over Cobolli after placing collectively a scientific efficiency to take the primary set in 31 minutes.
However Cobolli broke again after Humbert served for the competition earlier than staving off a match level in a tense second-set tiebreaker.
France’s world No.14 cracked below the stress within the decider as he racked up 22 unforced errors to 9, Cobolli pulling off his comeback win in two hours and 4 minutes.
Jasmine Paolini added an exclamation mark to Italy’s 2-0 win, the world No.4 simply defeating Chloe Paquet 6-0 6-2 in precisely an hour.
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori then defeated Elixane Lechemia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3 7-6 (7-3) within the blended doubles for the cherry on high.
“The roads are going to be busy after 4 o’clock. Flavio performed too lengthy,” Paolini mentioned, joking about her fast victory.
“I am pleased with my efficiency. I used to be targeted each time.
“I am completely satisfied as properly that Flavio received an incredible match. Unbelievable.”
Cobolli added: “It is at all times powerful to return again when you find yourself set and break down however I did it.
“I used to be targeted on my sport and simply enjoying my tennis. I had a little bit little bit of luck on match level.”
Winners of the previous two Davis Cups and runners-up two years in the past to the US within the inaugural version of the season-opening blended groups’ occasion, Italy received Group D even with out world No.1 Jannik Sinner after additionally beating Switzerland 2-0 of their opening tie.
Italy will face the winners of Group F within the quarterfinals, with Nice Britain and Australia battling it out on Wednesday for a spot within the final eight.
Group GB and Australia conflict in Sydney after Poland tackle Czechia to kick off the brand new 12 months.
AAP
