United Cup: Gauff, Fritz lead USA past Poland to clinch title

Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff produced pulsating singles victories to lead the United States to its second United Cup title in three years in Sydney Sunday night, handing Poland its second consecutive runner-up finish in the process.

After Gauff won an engrossing 6-4, 6-4 opening singles against Iga Swiatek that had Ken Rosewall Arena rocking, Fritz delivered the encore with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4) win over Hubert Hurkacz in a serve-dominated match that featured 30 aces and just three break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Beginning their campaign in Perth, where the top seeds won Group A, tournament MVP Gauff and Fritz brought to the United Cup the form that led them to banner seasons in 2024, culminating with Gauff winning the WTA Finals Riyadh (where she also defeated Swiatek) and Fritz finishing runner-up at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Gauff, who did not drop a set in five singles matches, begins the year at No. 3 in the PIF WTA Rankings. Fritz, at a career-best No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, dropped his opening match to Felix Auger-Aliassime in Perth but then won four straight.

“It’s amazing. It’s almost more fun to win the team events because you have people to celebrate with afterwards,” Fritz said. “Coco made it easy for me as the MVP on the team; it definitely helped my job a lot and its great to get it a second time.”

Gauff said, “It’s great to win a team event, the only team event I’ve ever won, so I’m super excited.”

With Fritz and Hurkacz both winning 80 per cent or better of first-serve points, opportunities to make inroads on return games were limited. As the match wore on Hurkacz’s growing confidence with his forehand – and new Wilson racquet – saw him hold his ground in extended baseline exchanges with Fritz. Hurkacz had a mini-break at 2/0 in the third-set tie-break, but the American’s self-belief in clutch moments carried him to his fourth win in five career Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings with the World No. 16.