By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 6, 2023
Taylor Fritz edged Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5), 7-6(5) sending Team USA into the United Cup final with an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Poland.
Photo credit: Matt King/Getty
The United States will play for the United Cup.
A focused Taylor Fritz edged Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5), 7-6(5) sending Team USA into the United Cup final with an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Poland at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
More: Pegula Stuns Swiatek at United Cup
Firing his forehand crosscourt, Fritz deconstructed Hurkacz's flatter forehand wing drawing three consecutive forehand errors to close a tense one hour, 44-minute test that was devoid of a service break.
"It was great to get the win today to get us through," Fritz told Hall of Famer Jim Courier in his on-court interview. "I had no doubt if I were to lose the rest of the team would have came through.
"I played with Team USA a lot. I think it's a huge advantage this time having the girls on our team because it just makes the whole team so much stronger. So I'm super excited going into the finals. I think we've been the favorites all week."
Team USA will face either Italy or Greece in the inaugural United Cup final. Italy leads Greece, 2-0, in the other semifinal that will be completed today.
The United States boasts four Top 20 singles standouts and three of them delivered dynamic performances in this semifinal.
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula pounded out a 6-2, 6-2 upset of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a stirring victory yesterday that left the US Open champion in tears and empowered the American side.
US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe stake the Americans to a 2-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Poland's Kacper Zuk.
It was Tiafoe's fourth United Cup win in as many matches and set the stage for Fritz's clinching conquest.
Indian Wells champion Fritz came out with a clear game plan: play first-strike tennis, punish the Hurkacz forehand and use his spin to stretch the court.
"From four years ago I'm moving so much better, I'm returning serve a lot better, being aggressive with the forehand feeling confident kind of attacking going after shots when it matters," Fritz said. "So I think that's kind of been the difference."
The difference today was Fritz's proactive play under pressure.
The American saved a couple of set points holding to level at 5-5. Fritz fought through a tough tiebreaker to take a one-set lead.
In the second set, Hurkacz gained double break point in the 11th game. Fritz quelled the threat cracking an ace and blocking a volley winner, escaping the trouble to hold for 6-5.
Former Miami Open champion Hurkacz lifted a slick half-volley earning the mini break for a 5-4 lead in the second-set tiebreaker. Hurkacz, who hit 17 aces against one double fault, was three points from a final set.
The Pole's forehand failed him. Hurkacz missed an inside-out forehand then sailed a forehand to face match point. Fritz fired one more big serve to draw a final forehand miscue and close a strong performance.