Coco Gauff took a step in the right direction with a sometimes absurd 6-4, 6-4 victory in Sydney against Iga Swiatek. Gauff’s win gave Team USA a 1-0 lead heading into the United Cup final, where Taylor Fritz edged Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4).
Swiatek currently leads Gauff 11-3, but the American has won their last two meetings while reworking her forehand and serve that have hampered her for most of the 2024 season. Gauff, who added grip expert Matt Daly to his coaching team after parting ways with Brad Gilbert, continues to swing Swiatek’s notoriously heavy forehand on the line, varying the height and spin that the world number two has been prone to too often. It prevented me from establishing the baseline rhythm I was used to. I see the players she dominates.
As in the WTA Tour final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Swiatek committed more forehand unforced errors than Gauff. But while her groundstroke performance in Riyadh was off the mark, this was a much tighter contest with Pole leading on several occasions.
Swiatek appeared to be struggling with a left thigh issue in the last two games. This was separate from the right thigh injury she suffered after defeating Britain’s Katie Boulter. After a huge eighth game in the second set that gave Gauff a 4-4 lead, an incredibly difficult encounter ended disappointingly flat. Gauff will walk away with renewed confidence in their rivalry thus far, while Swiatek will use the breakup in both sets as a missed opportunity and encouragement for the rest of the 2025 season.
“I now believe that I am one of the best players in the world,” Gauff said on the court.
Hurkac took a 2-0 lead against Fritz at the start of the third set tiebreak. Fritz advanced to his first Grand Slam final at the US Open last year and ranked 4th in the world. But Paul tightened up when on the front foot in two baseline exchanges, moving forward at the wrong time and allowing Fritz to step forward.
This is Team USA’s second United Cup victory after winning against Italy in the inaugural competition in 2022. Poland has now reached the final twice but lost both times.
(Top photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
