Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Thursday January 2, 2025 at 1:04 p.m.
Thanks to Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek, Poland won their ticket to the semi-finals of the United Cup at the expense of Great Britain. They will face Kazakhstan for a place in the final.
With No. 2 and No. 16 in the world rankings in its ranks, Poland is almost as much of a favorite for United 2025 as the United States of Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz (respectively No. 3 and No. 4) . And Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek held their place to qualify their country for the semi-finals of this mixed team competition which now traditionally opens the tennis season in Australia. Opposed to Great Britain in Sydney, they did not even need the double to seal their qualification. It was first Hubert Hurkacz who opened the Polish counter by disposing of Billy Harris (125th) with a score of 7-6, 7-5 in 1h47. The world No. 16 relied on his serve to win, thanks in particular to 18 aces, no double faults and no breaks conceded. He could have even won more quickly if he had converted his two first set points at 6-5, but he ultimately pocketed the set in the deciding game (7-3). In the second, Harris missed three break points at 0-1, and then had no further chances. At 5-5, Hurkacz accelerated to break, then win the match with a final shutout.
Swiatek got scared
Iga Swiatek therefore had the opportunity to qualify her country, and she succeeded, not without difficulty. The world No. 2 lost the first set against No. 24 Katie Boulter, but still won 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 after a great battle of 2h51. Swiatek started the match strong, leading 3-0 then 4-1, but she lost her serve at 4-2, and the Briton finally won the set in the tiebreak (7-4). This woke up the former world No. 1, who again led 4-1 in the second set, but did not break down this time, even signing a new break at 5-1. In the final set, Boulter broke to lead 2-1, but she was unable to hold on. Swiatek equalized immediately, then saved a break point at 4-4, before concluding with a blank break at 5-4. So here is Poland, finalist last year against Germany, in the last four, with a match coming up on Saturday against Kazakhstan of Elena Rybakina (n°6) and Alexander Shevchenko (n°78).
