HOBART: Elena Rybakina guided Kazakhstan to a 2-1 victory against Spain in her United Cup debut at the RAC Arena in Perth on Friday, and Gao Xinyu stunned Beatriz Haddad Maia in China’s victory over Brazil.

World number six Rybakina defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-3 in the singles and then combined with Alexander Shevchenko to clinch the deciding mixed doubles.

Kazakhstan can qualify for the quarter-finals of the 18-nation mixed teams event by beating Greece in their second Group ‘C’ match on Monday.

Former world number 10 Pablo Carreno Busta swept aside Shevc­henko 6-2, 6-1 in little over an hour to put Spain ahead before Rybakina, playing her first match since hiring Goran Ivanisevic as coach for the season, pulled Kazakhstan level.

The 25-year-old raced to a 4-0 lead before Bouzas Maneiro could put up some sort of resistance winning the next two games. Rybakina soon asserted herself again and broke her opponent at love to take the opening set.

The Kazakh fired a series of backhand winners for a similar 4-2 lead in the second set and Bouzas Maneiro held three break points at 5-3 before Rybakina’s power game prevailed.

“The first match is always difficult,” former Wimbledon champion Rybakina said. “It’s not easy to get used that quick but I’m pretty happy with the way I played today.”

She was soon back on court alongside Shevchenko to score a 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (2/7), 10-7 win against Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers and Carreno Busta.

“If ‘Lena’ wasn’t carrying me this match we would lose … Thanks to her,” Shevchenko said.

The second session saw China’s Gao overcome cramps and injury to beat Brazilian world no. 17 Haddad Maia 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 in a battle that lasted three hours and 22 minutes, the longest WTA singles match in the history of the United Cup.

“I have no idea what’s going on right now. My brain was empty and my whole body was cramping,” world no. 175 Gao, who replaced Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen in the competition, said after beating the U.S. Open quarter-finalist.

Zhang Zhizhen then eased past Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-0 in the men’s singles match as China built an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Group ‘E’ clash, ensuring victory ahead of the mixed doubles.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2024