Coco Gauff's Stellar Performance Secures United Cup Victory for Team USA, Says Taylor Fritz

Sydney, Jan 5 (NationPress) Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff delivered electrifying singles victories to propel the United States to its second United Cup title in three years on Sunday night, marking Poland's second consecutive runner-up finish.

Fritz hailed the 20-year-old as the team’s MVP and remarked that she made the final seamless for him.

"It's incredible. Winning team events is almost more enjoyable because you have teammates to celebrate with afterward. Coco's performance as the MVP made it much easier for me; it certainly facilitated my role, and it's wonderful to achieve this a second time," Fritz stated.

Following Gauff's riveting 6-4, 6-4 opening singles victory against Iga Swiatek, which had the Ken Rosewall Arena buzzing, Fritz followed up with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4) win over Hubert Hurkacz in a match dominated by serves, featuring 30 aces and only three break points, as per ATP Stats.

Launching their journey in Perth, where the top seeds triumphed in Group A, tournament MVP Gauff and Fritz showcased the form that led them to stellar seasons in 2024, culminating with Gauff's victory at the WTA Finals Riyadh (where she also overcame Swiatek) and Fritz finishing as the runner-up at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Gauff, who went undefeated in five singles matches, kicks off the year ranked No. 3 in the WTA rankings. Fritz, achieving a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the ATP rankings, faced a setback in his opening match against Felix Auger-Aliassime in Perth but bounced back to win four consecutive matches.

With both Fritz and Hurkacz winning 80 percent or more of their first-serve points, there were few chances to capitalize on return games. As the match progressed, Hurkacz's increasing confidence with his forehand—and new racquet—allowed him to hold his ground in extended rallies against Fritz. Hurkacz secured a mini-break at 2/0 in the third-set tie-break, but Fritz's confidence during crucial moments propelled him to his fourth victory in five career ATP meetings against the World No. 16.

Gauff gave the United States an early advantage against Poland by defeating Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 in the United Cup final on Sunday. In a thrilling clash between the World No. 2 and World No. 3, Gauff replicated her success from the WTA Finals Riyadh by defeating the former World No. 1 for a second consecutive time.

Gauff has made strides in closing the head-to-head gap against Swiatek, who had previously won 11 of their last 13 encounters. However, after bringing coach Matt Daly onto her team following the US Open last year, Gauff has shown significant improvements in both her serve and forehand. These two shots were crucial in her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Swiatek during her title run at the WTA Finals in the fall, and they once again proved decisive.

Fans at Ken Rosewall Arena were treated to an explosive start, with both WTA stars showcasing their power and speed on the court. Gauff broke first with a perfect forehand volley to take a 2-0 lead, but Swiatek quickly responded with three consecutive games to go ahead 3-2.

In a set where Swiatek recorded 19 unforced errors compared to Gauff's nine, the American's superior consistency allowed her to win four of the next five games to claim the physically demanding first set.

Gauff confidently advanced through the second set. A double fault on break point did not deter the relentless American, who reclaimed the break in a 10-minute game with her all-court counter-punching, leveling the set at 4-4 with a precise forehand pass.

With momentum firmly on the side of the Americans, Gauff broke Swiatek one final time to secure the pivotal win. Gauff concluded her United Cup singles debut with an undefeated record, achieving victories over Leylah Fernandez, Donna Vekic, Zhang Shuai, Karolina Muchova, and Swiatek.