By Darren Walton
Taylor Fritz edged Hubert Hurkacz in two tight tie-breaker sets to send the US storming into the United Cup final in Sydney on Saturday.
Fritz maintained his unbeaten record at the new mixed teams event with a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) victory that earned Team USA an unassailable 3-0 lead over Poland in the best-of-five semi-final.
The Americans had a commanding 2-0 overnight lead after singles wins on Friday for Frances Tiafoe and Jessica Pegula.
Pegula stunned world No.1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-2 before Tiafoe outclassed world No.245 Kacper Zuk 6-3, 6-3 at Ken Rosewall Arena.
“It was great to get the win today to get us through,” Fritz said. “I had no doubt that if I were to lose that the rest of the team would have come through.
“I’ve played with Team USA a lot but I think it’s a huge advantage this time having the girls in our team because it just makes the whole team so much stronger. So I’m super excited going into the finals and I think we’ve been favourites all week.”
Taylor Fritz plays a forehand return to Hubert Hurkacz.Credit:AP
Magda Linette was scheduled to face 2022 Australian Open semi-finalist Madison Keys in Saturday’s now-dead second women’s singles match before Swiatek and Hurkacz play Pegula and Fritz in the mixed doubles.
The US will play Italy or Greece in Sunday’s final.
Italy have a 2-0 lead entering session two of the second semi-final on Saturday following singles wins on Friday night for Martina Trevisan and Lorenzo Musetti.
Trevisan upset world No.6 Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-7 (7-5), 7-5 in a three-hour, 15-minute epic before Musetti crushed world No.803 Stefanos Sakellaridis 6-1, 6-1.
Greece’s world No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas must beat fellow grand slam runner-up Matteo Berrettini in Saturday’s first singles match, starting at 5pm, to keep the tie alive.
Even if Tsitsipas wins, the lowly ranked Despina Papamichail will be at long odds to force a deciding mixed doubles rubber with an upset victory over Lucia Bronzetti.
AAP
Watch the United Cup live and free on the 9Network – Channel 9 and 9Gem. Every match will be available live on 9Now.
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