In the opening quarterfinals of the 2025 United Cup, the United States (USA) continued their excellent start to the year with a dominant 2-0 victory over China, securing a spot in the semifinals.
Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff were the stars for Team USA, each winning their singles matches in straight sets to give the team an unassailable lead. The event, which features mixed-gender teams from around the world, saw USA put on a commanding performance at the RAC Arena on Wednesday.
Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 4 in the ATP rankings, was in superb form as he defeated Zhang Zhizhen 6-4, 6-4. The American’s powerful serving made all the difference, as he dropped only four points behind his serve in the one-hour, 19-minute match.
Fritz’s performance was flawless, and he never gave his opponent a chance. “Coco did such a good job putting us ahead and giving me the chance to come out and put us through,” Fritz said after the match, acknowledging his teammate's crucial role in setting up his win.
With his seventh win at the event, Fritz was happy to be back in top form. "I feel like I’ve gotten better with each match I’ve played," he added, reflecting on his improvement throughout the competition.
Fritz’s victory was particularly impressive, as he carved out nine break points and converted two of them, ensuring his team’s progress. The match was a reminder of how far Fritz’s game had come.
"Towards the end of last year, I made a lot of improvements to my game," Fritz said. "I started to believe that the average level I felt I could produce every day was enough to beat a lot of the higher-ranked guys who before I thought I had to play incredible to beat."
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, World No. 3, was tasked with overcoming China’s Shuai Zhang. In a closely contested match, Gauff triumphed 7-6(4), 6-2, despite facing tough resistance from her opponent.
Zhang, known for her flat groundstrokes and aggressive baseline game, proved to be a formidable opponent. However, Gauff’s determination saw her through, as she came from behind several times in the opening set to take it in a tiebreak.
“I was literally on the ground for most of the match,” Gauff said after the win, reflecting on the tough nature of the contest. Despite the intense pressure, Gauff’s calm and focused approach allowed her to win crucial points, eventually taking control in the second set to seal the win after 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Gauff's perfect record in the United Cup was extended with the victory, improving her career head-to-head record against Zhang to 3-0. Gauff, who was making her United Cup debut, demonstrated her mental toughness, overcoming early setbacks and showing resilience throughout the match.
In doubles action, Desirae Krawczyk and Robert Galloway secured a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(1), 10-3 victory over Zhang and Sun Fajing. This win gave Team USA a clean sweep in the quarterfinal tie, as the Americans secured a 3-0 victory to advance to the semifinals.
The pair showed great teamwork, and despite a brief setback in the second set, they rallied to win the deciding super tiebreak.
With this result, USA joins Kazakhstan in the semifinals, where they will face either Italy or Czechia in a bid to reach the final. The strong performances from Fritz and Gauff, along with the doubles victory, have placed the Americans in a good position to retain their United Cup title, which they won two years ago. The team’s confidence is high as they head to Sydney for the semifinals, and they will be hoping to continue their excellent form in the competition.
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