AFTER the first match lasted just 62 minutes and one player won 12 of the 13 games, fans would have been forgiven for thinking it might be a one-way traffic day for Poland over Norway at the 2025 United Cup. However despite the early one-sidedness, Norway forced its way into a live decider and then went all the way to a super tiebreak before the Poles closed it out 10-8 in that tiebreaker.

The day started with a breezy time for former world number one Iga Swiatek who, as expected, brushed aside Norwegian Malene Helgo 6-1 6-0. She only dropped three points off her first serve and crushed the world 404th ranked player to quickly hand her nation the lead.

That proved crucial for Poland, as fellow top ranked talent Hubert Hurkacz went down to his Norwegian contemporary Casper Ruud in a hard-fought straight sets match. Both players had their chances, but in the end, Ruud was able to get the extra break in each set to win 7-5 6-3 thanks to a 77 and 71 per cent first and second serve win percentage and level up the tie.

The doubles came around and instead of Hurkacz, Poland opted for doubles specialist Jan Zielinski to pair with Swiatek, while the fresh Ulrikke Eikeri paired with Ruud on court. It was a strange contest, with the Poles looking on top early, before the Norwegians bagelled them in the second set. It proved all for nought however, as Swiatek and Zielinski stood up in the deciding super tiebreak to clinch it 10-8.

“It’s still the old year, so I’m happy to finish it like that,” Swiatek said post-match. “I’m really happy that I could play with Jan and show our game. It was pretty tight, but I’m happy that at the end we stepped up the level and we finished it so Poland could win.”

Despite the second set of the doubles one-sided on paper, the experienced Zielinski was not too worried.

“Even though the second set was 0-6, we knew it was very close. It was a matter of single points, deciding points, 0/30 we had a couple times. We knew this could change at any moment,” he said. “They had their momentum at some point, 8/7 serving, Casper, so we were not in the ideal position. But we stayed tough, we showed some good returns and best tennis when it mattered, so I’m happy with the outcome.” 

Norway has now being eliminated from the United Cup, with the winner of Poland and Czech Republic clashing tomorrow will advance through to the quarter finals.

POLAND (2) defeated NORWAY (1)

Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Malene Helgo (NOR) 6-1 6-0
Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 7-5 6-3
I. Swiatek/J. Zielinski (POL) defeated U. Eikeri/C. Ruud (NOR) 6-3 0-6 10-8

Germany survived a scare from China in Perth to advance through to the quarter finals to face Kazakhstan after singles duo Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund teamed up on the mixed doubles court to secure the victory.

In both singles matches the higher ranked German players looked in trouble, with Top 5er Zverev shockingly losing the first set to Chinese hope Zhizhen Zhang. However that would not last with the German kicking into gear and finding his form, dropping just two games in the last two sets – after only winning two in the first set – to close out the match 2-6 6-0 6-2.

It looked a remarkably similar story in the second set where lowly ranked Gao Xinyu – fresh off a win over Maria Sakkari – raced to a 6-1 lead. Then, like in the previous match, Laura Siegemund forced her way back into the contest courtesy of a 6-3 second set. Despite that turnaround, Gao found her feet once again and won the deciding set to grab the match and level the tie, 6-1 3-6 6-3.

Fortunately for the reigning champions, their unbeaten record in the mixed doubles competition continued, by defeating Zhang and Shuai Zhang 6-2 7-6, to seal a 2-1 victory and advance through to the quarter finals. However it was also not bad news for China, with the tight result ensuring whoever finished second would receive the Perth wildcard, so the Asian nation will likely go on to play the top seeded United States barring a collapse from the favourites against Croatia today.

“Triple ZZZ is a very funny guy, we had a great singles and great mixed doubles match with Laura,” Zverev said. “I’m happy that we’re in the quarter-finals and, actually, I’m happy that China are in the quarter-finals too. Congratulations to the Chinese team.”

“It was a really great match,” Siegemund said. “When you play for the first time after a while, you never really know what’s going to happen, and I think it was a great performance.”

GERMANY (2) defeated CHINA (1)

Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) 2-6 6-0 6-2
Xinyu Gao (CHN) defeated Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-1 3-6 6-3
L. Siegemund/A. Zverev (GER) defeated S. Zhang/Z. Zhang (CHN) 6-2 7-6