Pegula, Fritz stage epic comeback, secure 2-1 victory at United Cup

Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz exhibited unwavering resilience, battling through a deciding doubles match to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Britain.

The defending champions, who clinched the title last January against Italy, showcased their mettle with a 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 10-7 triumph in mixed doubles, propelling the United States to stay firmly in contention at the prestigious tournament in Perth.

Fritz, who faced a challenging opening set with two breaks against him, expressed the team’s determination, stating, “We have a team energy from last year here, we don’t want to take a loss and let it die.”

Pegula, the world number five, echoed the sentiment, saying, “To get a win in this fashion after such a long day (on court) brings back a lot of memories. It was a big win today, especially after losing such a tough singles match.”

Britain initially took a 1-0 lead in the tie when Pegula fell 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Katie Boulter in a hard-fought singles match.

Boulter, ranked 56th, secured her first win over a top-five player on her seventh attempt, bouncing back from a set and double-break down. Reflecting on the match, Boulter shared, “This was a very hard match for both of us… I play my best tennis when I’m smiling and having fun.”

Fritz, Pegula’s teammate and the 10th-ranked player globally, battled through a thigh strain attributed to over-training, defeating Cameron Norrie 7-6 (5), 6-4 to keep the tie alive.

Fritz commented on the challenge, saying, “I strained something but got through it. Cam and I have played so many times; it’s always a battle, always close.”

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Leylah Fernandez led Canada to a hard-fought victory over Chile. The 35th-ranked Fernandez secured a convincing singles win against Daniela Seguel, followed by a decisive mixed doubles triumph alongside Steven Diez.

Fernandez, part of the Canadian team that won the Billie Jean King Cup this year, expressed her satisfaction, stating, “I’m extremely happy with the way I played.”

In the men’s singles, with Canadian number one Felix Auger-Aliassime sitting out, 314th-ranked Steven Diez faced world number 19 Nicolas Jarry, succumbing to a 7-5, 6-4 defeat.

The deciding mixed doubles proved to be a tense encounter, with Fernandez and Diez overcoming Seguel and Tomas Barrios Vera 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 to secure Canada’s victory.

As the United Cup unfolds, the stage is set for further high-stakes matches, with world number one Novak Djokovic poised to open his season for Serbia against China’s Zhang Zhizhen.

The Chinese team enters the matchup on a high note, having triumphed over the Czech Republic with a commanding 3-0 win.