France, already beaten by Switzerland on Saturday, lost again on Tuesday in Sydney against Italy and was eliminated from the United Cup, a national mixed team tournament preparatory to the Australian Open, which will be held from January 12 to 26.
The French team, represented by Chloé Paquet (123rd in the world) and Ugo Humbert (14th), was swept 2 to 0 by the Italian duo, Jasmine Paolini (4th) and Flavio Cobolli (32nd), qualified for the quarter-finals .
Paolini, a finalist at Roland Garros and Wimbledon last season, made short work of Paquet 6-0, 6-2 at the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
Cobolli had previously given Italy the advantage thanks to his clinching victory, in three sets 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-2, over Humbert, after saving a match point.
In the mixed doubles match counting for butter, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori beat Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Elixane Lechemia 6-3, 7-6, definitively burying any French hope of remaining in the competition. With only one match won out of six, France did not make a splash at the United Cup.
