(Perth) After a singles defeat and social media drama earlier this week, Coco Gauff spoke on court during the United Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Gauff signed two victories, one in singles and the other in mixed doubles, allowing the Americans to qualify for the semi-finals which will take place on Saturday in Sydney.
Gauff beat Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 to give the defending champions USA a 1-0 lead over Greece. Taylor Fritz, suffering from tendinitis in his knee, had a chance to give his country victory in his singles duel against Stefanos Tsitsipas, but he ultimately lost 6-4, 7-5. This quarter-final clash was therefore played out in a decisive mixed doubles.
In this match, Gauff and Christian Harrison defeated Tsitsipas and Sakkari 4-6, 6-4 and 10-8. The Americans looked headed for victory after taking a 4-0 lead and then a 5-1 lead in the final tiebreaker, but the Greeks fought back to level the score at 6-6. Gauff and Harrison held on to take the win.
“I think I hit the ball well today, and when that happens, my movement on the court is also good,” Gauff said after her singles victory. I usually know it’s going to be a good day. »
On Monday, Gauff posted a message on social media about a half-hour before the start of her singles match, hoping to clarify her recent statements about American tennis fans.
The ensuing match did not go well for Gauff, ranked fourth in the world, who lost the first five games and eventually lost 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-0 to 42-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiroe. But Fritz won his singles match, then Gauff and Harrison joined forces in mixed doubles to clinch first place in Group A.
In another evening quarter-final duel in Perth, Switzerland advanced to the final four by defeating Argentina 2-1. Belinda Bencic defeated Solana Sierra 6-2, 6-2 before Sebastian Baez leveled the score with a 7-5, 6-4 victory against veteran Stanislas Wawrinka.
Bencic and Jakub Paul then won the ultimate mixed doubles match 6-3, 6-3 against Maria Lourdes Carle and Guido Andreozzi, setting the table for a semi-final duel against Belgium or the Czech Republic.
In Sydney, Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek won their singles matches, giving Poland a 2-0 lead over the Netherlands and earning them a place in the quarterfinals of Group F. Poland is set to face Australia in the quarterfinals.
