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In the United Cup in Perth, Day 2 saw top seeded Poland swing into action against Brazil in Group A in the night session, which followed a comprehensive and historic 3-0 win by China over the Czech Republic in Group E earlier in the day.
It was peaceful for the first time, I was able to focus on practice and rest. I hope to be more dangerous this season — I’ll do my best. I’m having such fun here and can concentrate on tennis. I worked hard in the pre-season and gained a lot of confidence. I was able to play freely without any other thoughts to mess up my game. Iga Świątek
Represented by Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz, Poland swept past Brazil 3-0 to head the group, and will play second-placed Spain on Monday.
Earlier, Zhang Zhizhen made more history for China on Saturday when he earned his country its first match win in the mixed team competition after the 27-year-old clawed his way past Jiri Lehecka, 5-7 6-3 6-4.
After enjoying a standout 2023 season, Zhang became the first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finalist from China before he rose to No 52 in the ATP Rankings, the highest position ever held by anyone from the East Asian country..
On the second day of the 2024 season, Zhang continued from where he left off, producing a hard-fought display against Lehecka in the RAC Arena.
In a heavy-hitting clash, the World No 58 stood close to the baseline to dictate, taking large cuts at the ball to triumph after 2 hours and 20 minutes.
© Colin Murty/AFP via Getty Images
Next, Zheng Qinwen met reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the women’s singles and clinched a ground-breaking tie for China by defeating the left-handed Czech, 6-1 2-6 6-1.
In the first career meeting between the two Top 20 players, it was 21-year-old Zheng who upset Vondrousova in a back-and-forth affair after an hour and 48 minutes of play.
Zheng, the 2022 WTA Newcomer of the Year and 2023’s Most Improved Player, cemented an insurmountable 2-0 lead for China, in her nation’s first-ever United Cup tie.
Currently sitting at a career-high ranking of World No 15, Zheng got off to a blistering start, winning 12 of the first 13 points on her way to a commanding 5-0 lead.
Vondrousova, the World No 7, fended off 2 set points to avert the bagel, but, in the following game, Zheng converted her 3rd set point by firing her 6th forehand winner of the opener.
The Czech, though, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the All England Club in July, turned the tables in the second set, despite dropping her serve with a double-fault in the opening game.
She took charge of the lengthier rallies and racked up 6 of the next 7 games to square the match.
Zheng, however, recovered her aggressive play to cruise through the decider and obtain the 6th Top 10 win of her career, ending the rubber as she started it by winning 14 of the last 16 points.
The two Chinese then teamed up to make it a clean sweep for China of 3-0 when Zheng & Zhang beat Vondrousova & Lehecka in the mixed doubles rubber, 6-1 6-2.
© Will Russell/Getty Images
In the late match, Swiatek stepped onto court with all the authority of a World No 1 when she faced Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, ranked 11.
Swiatek finished 2022 with her second consecutive year-end No 1 ranking, while Haddad Maia is coming off a season when she cracked the Top 10 for the first time in her career.
“Even though my ranking at the end of the year was similar to 2022, this [2023] season was totally different,” Swiatek told reporters in Perth. “Lots of ups and downs and some struggles that we had to deal with.
“Playing these final matches in Cancun with such a baggage on my shoulders in terms of rankings, it gave me a lot of confidence. I learn a lot about myself. I’m going to take it in 2024.”
Swiatek and Haddad Maia had split the only 2 matches they had played going into the clash, with the Brazilian prevailing in the 2022 Toronto Round of 16 and Swiatek returning the favour last year in the Roland Garros semi-finals, and both encounters had gone to 3 sets.
On this occasion, Swiatek was in dominant form, defeating the Brazilian 6-2 6-2 in some style to give Poland a swift 1-0 lead after 77 minutes and extending her active win streak to 12 consecutive matches.
Both Swiatek and Haddad Maia had finished their 2023 campaigns with unbeaten runs, but the Pole took control from the get-go, and did not let up.
Haddad Maia held serve to open the match before Swiatek ran off 5 consecutive games with her relentless baseline pressure and occasional forays to the net to close out the set 2 games later.
Raising her game in the second set, Haddad Maia was rewarded by her first 3 break points of the rubber, but Swiatek dismissed them all with pinpoint serving to open up a 4-1 lead.
The Brazilian finally broke with a perfectly timed backhand winner to close the gap to 4-2, but Swiatek responded by winning 8 of the next 10 points to seal the win, finishing with 21 winner to Haddad Maia’s 7.
© Paul Kane/Getty Images
Swiatek credited a calming few weeks away from the game after lifting the year-end women’s championships last month in Mexico for her auspicious start.
“It was peaceful for the first time, I was able to focus on practice and rest,” Swiatek said. “I hope to be more dangerous this season — I’ll do my best.
“I’m having such fun here and can concentrate on tennis. I worked hard in the pre-season and gained a lot of confidence. I was able to play freely without any other thoughts to mess up my game.”
Speaking on the court ahead of compatriot Hubert Hurkacz’s match against Thiago Seyboth Wild, she added: “For now, let’s cheer for Hubi. On mixed doubles, please cheer. Because it’s not often when we play mixed doubles. I’m pretty excited I’m gonna be able to play today.
“Playing with him is kind of easy, you know. Because I feel like he’s doing most of the job [laughs]. But just being serious.. I really like playing mixed doubles. It’s such a challenge for me to play against guys. I practice with guys who are playing really fast, so when I play right now these couple of rallies against them, it’s just really exciting. I feel like I have nothing to lose.”
Hurkacz’s task was somewhat harder, and he had to mount a come-back to take down the Brazilian, 6-7(4) 6-2 6-3, to give Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead.
The Pole was not at his free-flowing best on serve against Seyboth Wild, winning 75% (39/52) of his first-serve points in the match, but the World No 9 found good depth on return at key moments, earning 5 breaks of serve to triumph.
Hurkacz, who won titles in Marseille and Shanghai in 2023, went 26-6 against players outside the Top 50 in the ATP Rankings last season, and is looking to remain unbeaten in the new season when he meets Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Monday.
© Colin Murty/AFP via Getty Images
Instead of resting on their laurels, Swiatek & Hurkacz returned to give themselves a clean sweep defeating Haddad Maia & Marcelo Melo, 6-4 6-3.
The Brazilians are fine doubles players and they made the running at the start as the Polish pair did their best to find a break-through.
They gradually made some chances but couldn’t really break until the end of the first set, and found the second set somewhat easier as the Haddad Maia & Melo gradually fell away after the Poles took an early 2-0 lead.
From there, Swiatek & Hurkacz maintained their focus to stay ahead and Poland’s 3-0 win over Brazil by dominating on their serve and playing the crucial rallies better.
As a result the No 1 seeds go to the top of Group A, while Brazil are now eliminated having also dropped their opening tie to Spain.
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