Taylor Fritz battled past Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6) to clinch the United Cup title with an unassailable 3-0 lead over Italy in the final of the inaugural mixed teams tournament in Sydney.
Earlier in the day Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe earned Italy a 2-0 lead over Italy in their singles rubber matches with wins over Martina Trevisan and Lorenzo Musetti respectively.
The United Cup team dropped just two individual matches during this edition of the United Cup.
In the women’s singles match Pegula beat last year’s Roland Garros semifinalist Martina Trevisan 6-4 6-2. Trevisan upset Maria Sakkari in a three-hour match on Friday. Pegula also showed her impressive form two days ago when she beat world number 1 Iga Swiatek.
Pegula earned an early break in the second game to take a 3-0 lead. Trevisan broke back in the fifth game for 2-3.
Pegula opened up a 4-2 lead with a second break. Trevisan pulled back on serve in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4 with a series of forehands. Pegula earned a set point with a drive forehand volley, as she was serving at 4-5 30-30 and converted it with a backhand winner down the line.
Pegula broke twice in the second and fourth games to race out to a 5-0 lead with two break in the second and fourth games. Trevisan pulled one break back in the seventh game to claw her way back to 2-5. Pegula broke serve with a backhand down the line in the eighth game to close out the second set 6-2.
Pegula broke into the top 10 of the WTA Ranking by winning the WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara last year.
“I am definitely very relieved. It was the first match of the final. Martina is playing great She is a fighter. I feel like she is thriving on the atmosphere with the fans and her team. It’s really hard to beat someone like that. I am glad that I was able to play well enough to get the win”, said Pegula.
Tiafoe picked up where Pegula left off cruising through to a 6-2 win in the opening set before Italian player Lorenzo Musetti retired due to a shoulder injury.
Tiafoe earned an early break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. The 2022 US Open semifinalist saved all three break points she faced and sealed the first set with a double break in the seventh game. Musetti suffered from a shoulder injury and received treatment from a physiotherapist during a changeover before retiring from the match at the end of the end of the first set.
“I thought it was a really high level, obviously at the end there I could see he was touching his shoulder a lot. I did not want to win this way. I hope Lorenzo feels better”, said Tiafoe.
In the men’s number 1 match last year’s Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz did not convert all nine break points he earned against 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, but he edged the Italian player 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6).
Fritz put pressure on Berrettini’s serve, earning four break points on his first two service games, but Berrettini saved all of them. The first set went to the-break, where the US player earned two mini-breaks to take a 3-0 lead. Berrettini pulled one of the two mini-breaks for 1-3. Fritz earned two more mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-4.
Fritz earned a series of break points in the second set, but Berrettini saved the, The second set went to a tie-break, where Berrettini fended off the first championship point with a forehand winner. Fritz sealed the win on his second match point.
Fritz played a solid match against Berrettini, who clinched two top 10 wins over Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud.
“It’s great. It’s amazing for the team to win this event. We came in with really high hopes with really high hopes or at least I did, for the event. I was really happy to be in that position to clinch the match. . Just the emotions when when you win and everyone comes running at you. It’s amazing.”, said Fritz.
Madison Keys beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-3 6-2 to extend the US winning lead to 4-0. Keys hit 22 winners to Bronzetti’s six. Eighteen of her serves were unreturned, including a service winner on match point.
