United Cup 2025: Coco Gauff crushes Leylah Fernandez to give Team USA early impetus

The 2025 United Cup campaign has started for Team USA and Coco Gauff has started her new season emphatically in a destructive win over Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-2 to have Team Canada chasing early on.

USA v Canada is the main tie of the day with wins already for Germany, Italy and Czech Republic as expected for the lead trio. Now it is time for USA to lead from the front and it was Gauff who did so.

USA are top seeds this week in the tournament which sees a Round Robin before they come together for the latter stages in Sydney. But due to being top seeds, they are one of a few who haven't started their campaigns until now.

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With Fritz to follow against Auger-Aliassime, it was pivotal for USA to get off to a good start. Despite having the leading duo and Danielle Collins, they are perhaps not as strong as they could've been with Jessica Pegula not playing. Emma Navarro and Peyton Stearns also are not.

Neither are any of their leading male players aside from Fritz including Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda among others but Gauff won in just over an hour and a half.

Gauff started superbly. She broke after converting a 40-30 lead in favour of Fernandez initially. She staved off break points to go 4-2 up before breaking again to conclude the set.

The second set was a break earlier on as she went 2-0 up and consolidated. It was more of an emphatic display as she barely let any points go on serve and broke agai to seal the win.

Usually Gauff would play the ASB Classic this time of year but has instead opted to represent the USA in their cause and they will be grateful to have her after this first display.

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