Italy leads 2-1 over Poland in the challenge that is worth a place in the semi-finals of the tennis United Cup, a new team event that kicked off the 2023 season and which SuperTennis broadcasts live. At the «Queensland Tennis Centre» in Brisbane, the blue team, seeded fifth, winner of Group E (overtaking Brazil and Norway) has to contend with the Polish team of Swiatek and Hurkacs, number two in the draw, winner of Group B. In the third singles Matteo Berrettini, n.16 ATP, slipped the third victory in a row in Brisbane (the second on a top ten, overcoming 6-4 3-6 6-, in one hour and 56 minutes of match, Hubert Hurkacz, n .10 of the ranking.
The 26-year-old from Rome had a 2-1 lead in the previous meetings: the blue had prevailed in the second round of the 2018 Australian Open qualifiers (hard) and in the semifinals of Wimbledon 2021 (grass) while the 25-year-old from Wroclaw had won in the first round of Miami 2019 (hard). Good start from Matteo who started on 2-0, but quick reaction from Hubert who scored the counter-break in the fourth game and then took the lead 3-2 after canceling a break point.
The Pole continued to push but in the ninth game he paid dearly for the slap in the tribune with which he missed the chance to go up 5-4, getting quite nervous. The blue took advantage of his opponent’s critical moment, snatched his serve and shortly after secured the first set 6-4. In the second set Hurkacz didn’t give up, he found peace of mind again and in the sixth game, which started with a fulminating reply and ended with a backhand along the line landed right in the corner (on the second break point), he snatched the serve from Berrettini (4 -2) then confirming the advantage (5-2). Relying on Hubert’s serve, he equalized the set count (6-3). In the sixth game of the decisive fraction, with a backhand along the line Matteo returned to get himself a break point and then, at the end of an exhausting exchange, he took the serve away from Hubert who shot a long forehand (4-2). Berrettini confirmed the break (5-2) and in the ninth game, with a first external shot, he closed the conversation (6-3), giving Italy the lead again.