United States win 2023 United Cup

Taylor Fritz (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

The United States won the very first United Cup in Sydney, Australia on Sunday. The American team of Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz beat Italy 4-0 in the finals. In the third match between the United States and Italy, the match that won the mixed gender tournament for the United States, Fritz beat Matteo Berrettini of Italy 7-6, 7-6.

The United States won Group C. They defeated Czechia four matches to one, and then Germany five matches to none. The United States then beat Great Britain 5-0 in the knockout stage, and then Poland 5-0 in the semifinals.

It was a perfect weekend for Madison Keys of Rock Island, Illinois and Frances Tiafoe of Hyattsville, Maryland, who won all five of their respective matches. However, Tiafoe got a little lucky because his first opponent, Tomas Machac of Czechia, had to withdraw from his first match against Tiafoe, trailing 6-3, 2-4, because of a right ankle injury according to the Associated Press. Then in the final, Tiafoe was leading Lorenzo Musetti 6-2 after the first set. Musetti then could no longer continue because of a right shoulder injury.

Last year the ATP Cup took place prior to the Australian Open, The event was won by Canada, which also won its first Davis Cup ever. It is interesting that a North American nation has won three of the last four significant international  team competitions in world tennis. The lone exception is Switzerland, which won the 2022 Bille Jean King Cup over Australia in Glasgow, Scotland this past November.

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