PERTH, Australia — Kazakhstan reached the quarterfinals of the United Cup combined workforce event with a snug win over Greece on Monday as Elena Rybakina defeated Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-3 after Alexander Shevchenko surprised Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who’s utilizing the 18-nation event to organize for subsequent month’s Australian Open, received a decent opening set in opposition to Sakkari earlier than powering forward 5-0 within the subsequent set.
She was damaged late however stayed composed to shut the competition on serve, leaving her new coach Goran Ivanisevic beaming.
“We have simply been working a pair weeks collectively. That is our first official event,” Rybakina stated. “We’re nonetheless attending to know one another a bit. He is a enjoyable man. He provides some expertise from when he performed and in addition as a coach. I am simply pleased to work with him. Hopefully, we’ll have some good outcomes collectively.”
Shevchenko pulled off a significant upset earlier when he downed an sick and error-prone world No. 11 Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6 (0) to place Kazakhstan on target for victory within the Group C tie in Perth.
“It’ll undoubtedly go in my document as certainly one of my finest wins,” Shevchenko stated. “He wasn’t at his finest at the moment however nonetheless I performed very well and I discovered the moments to win the match.”
In Sydney, Katie Boulter and Charles Broom guided Britain to a 2-1 win over Argentina in Group F, profitable their combined doubles rubber in opposition to Maria Lourdes Carle and Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (4), 7-5.
Boulter put Britain up 1-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Nadia Podoroska however Argentina fought again instantly as Etcheverry overcame a abdomen problem to down Billy Harris 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek can be in motion when Poland faces Norway in Group B, whereas defending champions Germany meets China in Group E.
Reuters contributed to this report.
