Perth: Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula combined for victory as the United States came from behind in the decisive mixed doubles rubber against Great Britain on Sunday to clinch a 2-1 victory in Group C in a Preliminary Stage encounter in the United Cup mixed team event here.
With this win, the United States went up 1-0 in the mixed-teams event.
The tie was level at 1-1 when Fritz and Pegula came together to defeat Katie Boulter and Neal Skupski 1-6, 7-6(4), 10-7. The United States is aiming to defend its title, having triumphed at the tournament last season.
The United States will now qualify for the quarterfinals if they beat Australia on Monday night. The winner of Group C will advance to the quarterfinals in Perth.
Great Britain ended their Group play holding a 1-1 record, having beaten Australia 2-1. Australia, led by Alex de Minaur, are still in the hunt but must overcome the United States to advance to the next round.
Earlier, Fritz kept the United States alive when he defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6(5), 6-4, gaining revenge for his defeat to the British lefty at the mixed-teams event last season.
Meeting for the 14th time in their ATP head-to-head series, Fritz and Norrie exchanged heavy blows in the hot Perth conditions.
Fritz recovered from squandering a 4-1 lead in the first set, sealing the opener in the tie-break. He then gained the decisive break of the second set in the ninth game, advancing after one hour and 47 minutes. The World No. 10, who received medical treatment on his left thigh during the match, now leads Norrie 8-6 in career meetings.
Great Britain got off to a good start when Boulter pulled off the win of the United Cup so far on Sunday with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Pegula of the United States in Group C action.
After leading the U.S. team to the title 12 months ago in the competition’s first edition — she went 8-1 across singles and doubles last year — Pegula looked on course for a fairly uncomplicated win to open the Americans’ title defense. In the match’s first hour, she turned a 4-2 first-set deficit to a 7-5, 3-0 lead — winning six straight games after saving three set points on serve at 4-5.
But Boulter came back from a set and double-break down, and after two hours and 44 minutes, scored her first-ever Top 5 victory in her seventh attempt. Her best previous win by ranking came in 2022 when she beat then-World No.7 Karolina Pliskova twice in a month on grass in Eastbourne and at Wimbledon.
After the first two hours of play and two split sets, Pegula broke serve to start the decider but never again led. Boulter responded immediately, and neither woman had break point until the Brit seized a 30/40 chance in the eighth game. Though she failed to serve out the victory, she wouldn’t be denied and broke for an eighth and final time to seal the upset.
–IANS