Iga Swiatek sent Poland soaring into their second straight United Cup final by battling past one of her most challenging rivals in their semifinal tie in Sydney on Saturday.
In a clash between Top 10 players and Grand Slam champions, Swiatek bested Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 7-6(5), 6-4, sealing an insurmountable 2-0 lead for the 2024 runners-up. Hubert Hurkacz had queued Swiatek up by giving Poland the 1-0 lead with a swift victory over Alexander Shevchenko.
“I think that’s the first time I was able to win with Elena on a faster surface, so it means a lot,” Swiatek said on court after her win. “I for sure didn’t start well, I felt like I [was] on the hand-brake a bit.
“I wanted to really work and change the momentum, and I’m happy that I kind of did that at the last possible chance in the first set. I kind of told myself that I’m not going to miss anymore, and I’m happy because for sure it was tough. It’s always tough against Elena.”
“In the day’s opening match, Hurkacz continued his short and long-term redemption at the United Cup by dismissing Shevchenko 6-3, 6-2.
After losing both his singles matches in group play to Casper Ruud and Tomas Machac, Hurkacz backed up his quarter-final win over Billy Harris with a 58-minute victory over the Kazakhstani.
At the end of the tie, Poland made it a clean sweep by winning the mixed doubles as well. Maja Chwalinska and Jan Zielinski made it 3-0 for the Poles by defeating Zhibek Kulambayeva and Shevchenko 6-4, 6-1 in 61 minutes.
Poland awaits USA or Czech Republic in the title match on Sunday.
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