World number 56 Katie Boulter beat Alja Tomljanovic 6-2 6-4 in 1 hour and 32 minutes to seal the win for Great Britain over Australia in the first tie of Group C of the United Cup at the RAK Arena in Perth.
Tomljanovic beat Boulter 6-3 6-4 in the second round of the WTA tournament in Nottingham in 2022.
Boulter hit 14 winners and 8 aces. The British player saved all six break points she faced and converted all three of her break points on Tomljanovic’s s serve.
Boulter earned a double break in the first and third games to seal the first set 6-2. The British player went up a set and a break in the first game to take a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set and saved three break points in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Boulter sealed the win with a hold to love. Tomljanovic hit only two winners in each set and was unable to earn any breaks of serve.
Earlier today Cameron Norrie battled past Alex De Minaur 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-2). Norrie stopped a nine-match losing streak against top 20 opponents.
Norrie earned an early break in the first game of the opening set and held on his serve in the next games to win the first set 6-4.
De Minaur broke twice in the sixth and eighth games to win the second set 6-2 forcing the match to the decider.
Norrie fended off a break point in the sixth game of the third set. The British player earned five mini-breaks and sealed the win on the first match point after a double fault from De Minaur.
Norrie has drawn level to 2-2 in his head-to-head matches against De Minaur.
“I really had to dig deep and play very brave in the third set. Alex came out at the end of the second set. He was firing and I could not match his level and I really had to play to win the tie-break. I found good depth on my forehand in the tie-break. It’s always tough to play against Alex. He is a good friend of mine. It was a good match and a good way to start the year”, said Norrie.
Storm Hunter and Matthew Ebden beat Boulter and Neal Skupski 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in the mixed doubles match.
Great Britain will face the US team led by Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz.
Group A: Spain beats Brazil 2-1
Spain earned the win in its first Group A tie when Alejandro Davidovic Fokina and Sara Sorribes Tormo beat Beatriz Haddad Maia and Marcelo Maia 6-4 7-5 in the decisive doubles match inside the RAC Arena in Sydney. Spain has moved to 1-0 in Group A.
Davidovich Fokina and Sorribes Tormo bounced back from squandering a break lead in the second set and reeled off the final three games to seal the win after 1 hour and 37 minutes. Davidovich Fokina and Sorribes Tormo saved seven of the nine break points they faced.
The Spanish team two set points in the second set before breaking serve in the 11th game. They served out the second set 7-5 on the deciding point.
“I really wanted to play the mixed doubles match. It was something I was really looking forward since a long time ago. I really enjoyed it. I think Alejandro played really good. It was a pleasure for me to play with him”,said Sorribes Tormo.
Earlier today Haddad Maia (winner at the WTA Elite Trophy) beat Sorribes Tormo 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 after 2 hours and 6 minutes in the first singles match. The Brazilian player beat Sorribes Tormo 6-7 6-3 7-5 in 3 hours and 51 minutes in the fourth round at 2023 Roland Garros.
Haddad Maia went up a break twice in the first set. Sorribes Tormo pulled back on serve both times. Haddad Maia cruised through to win the tie-break 7-1.
Sorribes Tormo went up a 2-0 lead with an early break in the second set and was a point away from going up 3-0 in the second set. Haddad Maia reeled off six consecutive games to win the second set 6-2.
The Brazilian player converted all of her five break points in the match.
Haddad Maia has improved to 4-2 in her six head-to-head matches against Sorribes Tormo.
Earlier today Alejandro Davidovich Fokina cruised past Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-4 6-0 in the men’s singles match.
Davidovich Fokina broke four times, did not face a break point and won 79% of his first serve points.
Both players went on serve in the first six games. The Spanish player earned a break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set on his third set point. Davidovich Fokina broke three times and sealed the win with a bagel on his fourth match point.
Davidovich Fokina has improved to 1-1 in his two head-to-head matches against Seyboth Wild.
