Poland advances to United Cup semis with sweep of China. France progress to quarterfinals
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Poland became the first team through to the United Cup semifinals with a dominant 3-0 win over China in Perth on Wednesday after France completed a sweep of Italy in Sydney to progress to the quarterfinals.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek beat No. 14 Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 6-3 in the women’s singles to give Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead after Hubert Hurkacz’s 6-3, 6-4 win over Zhang Zhizhen in the men’s singles.
Polish pair Katarzyna Piter and Jan Zieliński finished the sweep with a 6-3, 5-7, 10-7 win over You Xiaodi and Sun Fajing in the mixed doubles.
The Poland team will travel across Australia for Saturday’s semifinals in Sydney, where they will play the winner of the France vs. Norway quarterfinal.
Earlier Wednesday in Sydney, Caroline Garcia and Adrian Mannarino led France past Italy.
Mannarino beat Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets before Garcia beat Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in the women’s singles to give France a 2-0 lead and confirm top spot in Group D.
“We have gone a step further than last year,” Garcia said. “Obviously we’re very happy with it and we want to keep going.”
French pair Elixane Lechemia and Édouard Roger-Vasselin completed the sweep with a straight sets win in the mixed doubles.
Greece was scheduled to play Canada later Wednesday in Sydney to conclude Group B. Greece, which had to make do without Stefanos Tsitsipas in its opening match against Chile, must beat Canada to have any chance of advancing. A win for Canada will see it advance as group winner.
Serbia — led by top-ranked Novak Djokovic — faced Australia in the night session in Perth.
Djokovic has been bothered by a wrist injury during the tournament but found a way past Jiri Lehecka in Serbia’s last Group E match against the Czech Republic.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis