Coco Gauff provided the United States with an early advantage over Poland by defeating Iga Swiatek with a score of 6-4, 6-4 in the United Cup final on Sunday. In a highly anticipated match between the World No. 2 and World No. 3, Gauff successfully replicated her achievement from the WTA Finals in Riyadh, overcoming the former World No. 1 for the second consecutive time.
"I have the belief that I'm one of the best players in the world, and when I perform well, I am difficult to defeat," Gauff remarked. "I believe I played exceptionally well today. I am pleased to have secured a point for Team USA. It was challenging, to be honest."
The focus now shifts to World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, who has the opportunity to secure a second United Cup title for the United States when he competes against No. 16 Hubert Hurkacz in the subsequent singles match. Fritz was a member of the victorious American team in the inaugural edition of the event.
Gauff has taken significant steps to narrow the head-to-head deficit against Swiatek, who had triumphed in 11 of their prior 13 encounters. However, following the addition of coach Matt Daly to her team after last year's US Open, Gauff has experienced notable enhancements in her serve and forehand. These two strokes played a crucial role in her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Swiatek during her title campaign at the WTA Finals in the autumn, and they once again made a decisive impact in Sydney.
Fans at Ken Rosewall Arena were treated to an electrifying beginning to the match, as the two WTA stars exchanged displays of power and agility across the court. Gauff initiated the scoring with a flawless forehand volley, breaking serve to take a 2-0 lead, but Swiatek quickly responded by winning three consecutive games to establish a 3-2 advantage.
In a set characterized by Swiatek's 19 unforced errors compared to Gauff's nine, the American's greater consistency enabled her to claim four of the next five games, ultimately securing the physically demanding first set.
Gauff continued her strong performance into the second set. Even a double fault during a break point could not hinder her relentless pursuit. She regained the break in a fiercely contested 10-minute game, leveling the set at 4-4 with a precise forehand pass.
With the momentum firmly in her favor, Gauff broke Swiatek one final time to clinch the vital victory. She concluded her United Cup singles debut with an impressive undefeated record, having triumphed over Leylah Fernandez, Donna Vekic, Zhang Shuai, Karolina Muchova, and Swiatek.
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