Hunter and Ebden have salvaged a blended doubles win for Australia because the crew’s focus shifts to a showdown in opposition to america.
Perth, 29 December 2023 | Dan Imhoff
Australia will set its sights on an upset of the defending United Cup champion, Group USA, to maintain its marketing campaign alive after succumbing to Nice Britain 2-1 earlier than a packed RAC Area crowd at Perth on Friday evening.
World No.11 Alex de Minaur rebounded from a sluggish begin in opposition to Cameron Norrie to pressure a deciding set however fell narrowly shy after he pale within the deciding tiebreak 6-4 2-6 7-6(2).
Ajla Tomljanovic had hoped to construct on a 1-0 head-to-head report in opposition to 56th-ranked Katie Boulter to pressure a deciding blended doubles however the 30-year-old – on the comeback from an injury-marred season – fell 6-2 6-4.
Storm Hunter and Matt Ebden later salvaged a 6-3 7-6(5) victory over Boulter and Neal Skupski.
De Minaur conceded it was a troublesome match to begin Australia’s marketing campaign and was left to rue missed alternatives within the third set of the two-hour, 23-minute affair.
“I believe it’s no secret I had a horrible first sport and it ended up costing me within the set,” De Minaur mentioned.
“Yeah, I didn’t really feel my finest on the market, comfy… It’s the primary match of a brand new season.
“It’s been a fast turnaround, and I wasn’t as sharp as I might have been, however I’m glad I used to be in a position to flip that round, play some great things all through that match. Yeah, it didn’t go my method, however it occurs.”
> READ: Alex de Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic revealed as new faces of Sizzling Pictures Tennis
De Minaur mentioned crew captain Lleyton Hewitt helped raise spirits following the letdown of the opening set.
Hewitt urged his cost to trusting himself all through and it virtually paid off.
“I believe he knew I wasn’t bringing my finest stage, and it was nearly combating and staying optimistic and telling myself that I used to be going to search out it at some stage or the opposite,” De Minaur mentioned.
“I managed to do this, and I managed to show it round and provides myself a variety of probabilities to win that match.”
Whereas rust was to be anticipated from Tomljanovic, having performed a restricted schedule final season, she conceded her opponent performed lights out.
“I used to be shocked as a result of I’ve performed her previously and she will play massive tennis, however it’s by no means that constant over two units… it’s so aggressive and it’s not stopping,” Tomljanovic mentioned.
“I might have possibly pushed extra at the next stage however it simply wasn’t straightforward to do this from my aspect.”
Australia subsequent meets a Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz-led USA on Monday evening, needing victory to maintain hopes of advancing to the knockout stage alive.
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