United Cup: Hurkacz/Swiatek guide Poland to quarters

PERTH: Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek sealed Poland’s place in the United Cup quarter-finals on Monday when they cruised past Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 6-0.

In a winner-takes-all mixed doubles clash in Group A, Hurkacz and Swiatek ensured the top seed reached the last eight with a dominant display inside the RAC Arena. They won 78 per cent (19/24) of their first-serve points, not facing a break point to triumph after just 43 minutes.

"I'm really happy with my level and the way I'm focused," Swiatek said. "I'm not feeling rusty. I'm not feeling like I need to get into a lot of rhythm. I'm playing freely, the same way I felt in Beijing, after US Open basically. I'm just happy to be in that place.”

Poland reached the semi-finals at the 18-country mixed-teams event last season and is the first team to advance to the quarter-finals at this year’s event.

Swiatek won an eye-catching 20 ‘bagel’ sets (6-0) last season in singles and demonstrated that ruthless edge throughout the mixed doubles clash, claiming her first two bagels of the 2024 season in a complete performance alongside World No. 9 Hurkacz.

"I'm trying to teach Hubi that he doesn't need a tie-breaker in every set," Swiatek joked.

Earlier, World No. 1 Swiatek grabbed a win for Poland, beating Spain’s Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-1. Davidovich Fokina had given Spain an early lead when he overcame Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 .

Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek celebrated the new year with her one-hour and 28-minute win over Sorribes Tormo, the top-ranked Spanish woman at World No.48. With her latest victory, Swiatek improved her head-to-head with Sorribes Tormo to 3-0 (6-0 in sets).

On Monday, Swiatek was forced to save four break points within her first three service games. But those proved to be the only break points the WTA’s top-ranked player faced in a match where she never lost serve.

Swiatek’s power game clicked into place during a commanding love break for 4-2, punctuated by a return winner. Two games later, Swiatek collected the one-set lead with a backhand winner on her second set point.

Swiatek saw four break points slip away at 1-0 in the second set, but she took charge for good shortly thereafter with an aggressive break for 3-1. Swiatek cruised home from there to capture her 13th straight match-win, with her two victories so far in Perth backing up consecutive titles at Beijing and the WTA Finals to close out the 2023 season.

Earlier, Davidovich Fokina moved Spain to within one win of reaching the United Cup quarter-finals on Monday when he defeated Hurkacz.

In a tight clash inside the RAC Arena, Davidovich Fokina was impressive on second-serve points. He won 74 per cent (25/34) of points behind his second delivery and 55 per cent (11/20) on Hurkacz’s second serve, advancing after two hours and three minutes.

Davidovich Fokina, who opened his season with a straight-sets win against Thiago Seyboth Wild, now leads Hurkacz 4-2 in their Lexus ATP Head-to-Head series. The 24-year-old Spaniard has also improved to 6-24 in his record against players inside the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.