Poland secured a spot in the United Cup semifinals with a thrilling 2-1 win against the host nation, Australia, on Friday in Sydney. The crucial victory came down to a mixed doubles match after Poland’s top player, Iga Swiatek, showcased her dominance with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Maya Joint. Meanwhile, in a tightly contested singles match, Australia’s Alex de Minaur edged out Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
The decisive moment for Poland came when the doubles duo of Jan Zielinski and Katarzyna Kawa delivered a strong performance, defeating Storm Hunter and John-Patrick Smith 6-4, 6-0. This victory not only pushed Poland into the semifinals but also set the stage for a rematch against the United States, echoing last year’s final. On the other side of the bracket, Switzerland and Belgium are set to compete in Saturday’s other semifinal.
In related tournament news, the Brisbane International saw No. 1 seed Daniil Medvedev from Russia bounce back after a shaky start, ultimately overcoming Polish player Kamil Majchrzak with a score of 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals. Medvedev’s impressive display included 16 aces and the ability to save five out of six break points. He is now slated to face Alex Michelsen, who triumphed over fellow American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6 (7).
In the men’s draw, Aleksandar Kovacevic and Brandon Nakashima are set for an all-American semifinal showdown. Kovacevic prevailed in a challenging match against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, while Nakashima won straightforwardly against Belgian qualifier Raphael Collignon.
Meanwhile, at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, the tournament’s top seeds all advanced to the semifinals. No. 1 seed Lorenzo Musetti continued to impress with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over local player Coleman Wong, facing only one break point throughout the match. He will now take on third-seed Andrey Rublev, who also had a solid performance against No. 8 seed Nuno Borges, winning 6-3, 6-4. The second-seeded Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan will face Marcos Giron in the other semifinal, with Bublik defeating Chinese wild card Juncheng Shang 6-1, 7-6 (2) and Giron advancing after Michael Mmoh retired when trailing 6-3, 1-0.
As the tournaments progress, fans can look forward to exciting matchups and performances that highlight the resilience and talent of players from around the world.