Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz Lead Team USA into United Cup Final

The United States will play for the United Cup again.

Coco Gauff played with command and Taylor Fritz fought fiercely leading Team USA to an insurmountable 2-0 lead over Czechia and back to the United Cup final for the second time in three years.

It was a night of high drama and intense emotion at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.

American No. 1 Fritz fought off a pair of match points serving at 2-5 in the second set sparking a four-game run against Tomas Machac to go up 6-5, 15-0 in the second set.

Fritz’s fightback clinched the win sending the United States into tomorrow’s final against Poland, which opened semifinal play sweeping Kazakhstan, 3-0, on the strength of singles wins from Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek.

“It’s great to be back in the final,” Fritz told Mark Petchey in his on-court interview afterward. “That was a crazy match. Very physical.

“It’s not the way I wanted to win, the way it ended, but I think we’re all happy to be back in the finals again.”

In a clash of former French Open finalists, Gauff charged through seven of the first eight games dismissing Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-4 to stake the United States to a 1-0 lead.

World No. 3 Gauff raised her record against the ultra-talented Muchova to 4-0 applying her court coverage and crackling two-handed backhand to good effect. Gauff has swept all eight sets she’s played vs. world No. 22 Muchova, one of the best volleyers on the WTA Tour.

“It’s never easy against Karolina,” Gauff said. “The whole match I was intense and focused and I think that made the difference today.

“[I’m] happy to get my team off to a good start here in Sydney.”

A third set was looming when Machac stunningly pulled the plug and retired due to cramps while holding a 7-6(4), 5-6 lead over the American.