Final Up to date: December 29, 2022, 13:01 IST
Taylor Fritz had a breakthrough yr in 2022. (AP Picture)
Fritz obtained his nation away to a flying begin with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Lehecka at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Area earlier than Keys noticed off Bouzkova 6-4, 6-3
American world quantity 9 Taylor Fritz and Eleventh-ranked Madison Keys cruised by way of their opening ties towards the Czech Republic to get their seasons off to a profitable begin on the inaugural United Cup on Thursday.
The blended workforce match options 18 nations enjoying in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, with every tie consisting of two males’s and two girls’s singles rubbers together with a blended doubles match as gamers heat as much as the Australian Open.
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Fritz obtained his nation away to a flying begin with a 6-3, 6-4 win over world quantity 74 Jiri Lehecka at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Area earlier than Keys noticed off Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-3.
The 25-year-old Fritz had a breakthrough yr in 2022, beating 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal within the last at Indian Wells to go along with titles in Tokyo and Eastbourne.
He broke into the highest 10 in 2022, reaching a career-high eight in October.
Fritz had an excessive amount of firepower for Lehecka, dealing with solely two break factors on his strategy to a cushty 75-minute win.
The American admitted he had felt some nerves earlier than the match.
“It was the primary match of the season and in addition enjoying a workforce occasion as nicely provides to it (the nerves),” he stated.
“I feel to start with of the match I dealt with it a lot better than perhaps my opponent did. I obtained the early break, then form of simply held on to it.”
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Keys, who made the Australian Open semi-finals this yr, got here again from an early break of serve in each units to see off Bouzkova in 80 minutes.
The previous US Open finalist overpowered her Czech opponent from the baseline, taking full benefit of the short circumstances on centre courtroom.
In Brisbane, Italy and Brazil have been locked at one rubber apiece after the early session.
Beatriz Haddad Maia, the Brazilian world quantity 15, was far too robust for Martina Trevisan, dropping simply two video games on her strategy to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.
“I labored very exhausting to push myself to play my greatest tennis,” Haddad Maia stated. “I labored very exhausting within the pre-season to be as prepared as I may at this time.”
Lorenzo Musetti levelled the tie at one-all when he downed Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-3, 6-4.
In later matches, Greek world quantity 4 Stephanos Tsitsipas performs Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in Perth whereas Britain’s Cameron Norrie takes on Australia’s Alex De Minaur in Sydney.
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