United Cup 2025: Part one done for Team USA as Coco Gauff opens up Quarter-Final account

Coco Gauff has sent Team USA one game closer to the Quarter-Finals of the 2025 United Cup in Perth after taking down Zhang Shuai albeit she was made to work for her win in Perth sealing it 7-6(4), 6-2.

USA are looking to join Kazakhstan on the flight to compete in the semi-finals in Sydney. Taylor Fritz can punch that ticket if he defeats Zhang Zhizhen with it locked into a first set in their tie. But Gauff has done what she needs to.

She extended her perfect United Cup debut in the first set with Gauff forced to play the tricky veteran over Gao Xinyu, the surprise hero who was forced to sit out with injury. But this inspired Zhang as Gauff was forced to come from a break down three times.

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Zhang kept Gauff behind the baseline dictating the play, she broke Gauff in the first game of the match but she failed to consolidate. Zhang broke Gauff three times but was broken back each time including serving for the set at 6-5.

"The harder I hit, the harder she was hitting," Gauff said. "I felt like I couldn't get her on defense. She was playing so aggressive on me and I felt like I had to go more on my second serves, which brought in more double faults, but if I just put it in it was a return winner. So I had to take my chances."

Gauff garnered the edge in the tie-break and she took that momentum into the second set. She breezed into a 3-0 lead and protected her serve to close out the win after one hour and 34 minutes. Now it is Fritz's turn as he will hope to book their spot on the plane and we could yet see Gauff v Rybakina later this week.

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