Poland will face the United States in the mixed United Cup final on Sunday after a dramatic finish to their semi-final in Sydney.
Iga Swiatek beat Elena Rybakina in straight sets to seal the team’s win over Kazakhstan, while the United States won 2-0 over the Czech Republic.
Coco Gauff beat Karolina Mukova 6-1 6-4 in the women’s singles, while Czech player Tomas Machak retired with a 7-6 (7-4) 5-6 lead over Taylor Fritz.
“He said he had cramps for a few games. I didn’t know that.” said Fritz, who had recovered after facing two match points and was serving for the second set when Mahak approached the net to concede.
“He was moving pretty well, but I think he was fighting through it.
“It’s really humid here. That’s what I was thinking of as a possibility. If I can win that set and get to the third game, he might start cramping later. It was a tough condition and a physical match.”
In the semifinals held earlier, Swiatek, ranked second in the world, took a 2-0 lead over Poland by beating No. 6 Rybakina 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Earlier, Hubert Hurkac led Poland to the lead in the men’s singles by beating Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-2.
“This win makes me really proud. It’s perfect preparation for the Australian Open,” Swiatek said of the first major of the year, which begins in Melbourne on January 12.
Swiatek won the US Open on the same hardcourt surface, but has never reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. Her other four Grand Slam titles came on clay courts at the French Open.
The 23-year-old Pole, who played with a strap tied around his right thigh, went into a first set tiebreak after Rivakina saved two set points.
