NO QINWEN Zheng, no worries as it turns out for China after world number 175 Xinyu Gao produced the biggest win of her career, downing Top 20 Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia to help guide her nation to victory at the United Cup last night.

In the first of the night ties in Perth, Gao came back from a set down and kept fighting against the world number 17. Having never beaten a Top 20 player before, and only stepping up to the number one singles when Zheng withdrew, the underdog spent three hours and 22 minutes on RAC Arena before Haddad Maia relented.

With both players sore and feeling the impact of a grinding three-set match for their first of the 2025 season, it was Gao who could walk away happy, having claimed a come-from-behind 5-7 6-4 7-5 victory. That win essentially locked away a Chinese upset win over Brazil with Zhizhen Zhang taking care of his opponent Thiago Monteiro in straight sets.

In Gao’s win over Haddad Maia, the Chinese hope won 69 and 58 per cent of her first and second serve points, and while the Brazilian was marginally better off her first serve (72 per cent), she struggled hard off her second set (38 per cent). A whopping 208 points were played in the contest, with Gao edging ahead late to win 109-99.

“I have no idea what’s going on right now,” Gao said post-match. “My brain was empty and my whole body was cramping.”

There was no such worry for her compatriot though, as Zheng cruised to a dominant 6-4 6-0 victory over Monteiro in just 54 minutes on court. The world number 45 smashed the 109th ranked Brazilian, serving 10 aces and only dropping four points off his first serve – and six in total – during the demolition job.

Capping off the dead rubber mixed doubles, China took home the full chocolates with a 6-4 7-5 success. Zhang was joined on court by doubles specialist Shuai Zhang to defeat a pair of doubles players in Brazilian duo Carolina Alves and Rafael Matos.

That victory ensured China would pick up a crucial win ahead of the incredibly tough contest against Germany on Monday. Before then, Brazil will hope to cause an upset against the reigning champions in order to have any chance of staying in contention of advancing from Group E.

CHINA (2) defeated BRAZIL (1)?

Xinyu Gao (CHN) defeated Beatrice Haddad Maia (BRA) 5-7 6-4 7-5
Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) defeated Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3 6-0
S. Zhang/Z. Zhang (CHN) defeated C. Alves/R. Matos (BRA) 6-4 7-5