Wawrinka posts plucky win at United Cup

Justin Chadwick and Joel Gould | December 30, 2022

Stan Wawrinka has ensured Switzerland’s United Cup campaign got off to a flying start after his win over Alexander Bublik clinched the tie against Kazakhstan.

Wawrinka, whose ranking has slipped to 148 on the back of a series of injuries in recent years, defeated Bublik 6-3 7-6 (7-3) on Friday night to give Switzerland an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Bublik put up a good fight, but the world No.37 wasn’t able to snare the win that would have kept Kazakhstan’s hopes of winning the tie alive.

“I was super happy when they announced this United Cup, to have the chance to play for the Swiss with my teammates and everybody and to play here in Brisbane,” Wawrinka said.

“Tonight was a great level.

“I’m super happy with the way I was playing. I’ve been working really hard to be back at a better level and I’m happy with the performance today.”

Switzerland went on to win the Brisbane tie 5-0, a scoreline matched in Perth by the French against Argentina.

World No.4 Caroline Garcia made a statement with a crushing 6-2 6-0 win over Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska to seal the tie for France.

Podoroska failed to even muster a break point opportunity against Garcia, whose hot 2022 campaign included a semi-final appearance at the US Open, and a victorious WTA Finals campaign.

“It’s very important to keep trying to improve. If you don’t go forward, you go backwards,” Garcia said.

“I want to play tennis the way I enjoy it. I enjoy moving forward and going to the net. It’s actually the best way to play tennis, so I want to keep going.”

An injury retirement assisted the United States on their way to a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in Sydney.

World No.19 Frances Tiafoe won the first set 6-3 for the US against Czech 22-year-old Tomas Machac, but Machac was leading 4-2 in the second set when he rolled his ankle and was forced to retire from the match.

“It sucks that I got over the line this way. You don’t want to see that. Hopefully he can get right for the Australian Open,” Tiafoe told the Nine Network.

Tiafoe said that he hoped the US could “do something special” in the rest of the United Cup.

The Czech Republic had earlier stayed in the tie courtesy of Petra Kvitova’s 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 win over world No.3 Jessica Pegula. The US had a 2-0 lead after the first day’s play.

Pegula was in control when leading 5-1 in the first set tiebreaker but Kvitova fought back brilliantly

The world No.16 broke Pegula early in the second set and did not take her foot off the throat.

United States pair Pegula and Taylor Fritz beat Marie Bouzkova and Jiri Lehecka 2-6 6-3 and 10-7 in a match tiebreak in the mixed doubles to finish off the tie.

Italy beat Brazil 3-2 in their best-of-five-match tie thanks to Lucia Bronzetti and Matteo Berrettini winning their singles ties at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.

The power game of Berrettini proved decisive in his 6-4 7-6 (9-7) win over Brazilian Thiago Monteiro. 

Bronzetti put the tie out of Brazil’s reach when she blew Laura Pigossi off the court with a 6-0 6-2 win.