Greece closes Spain’s dream in the United Cup | ATP Tour

United Cup

Greece closes Spain’s dream in the United Cup

The Hellenes will play the qualification with Kazakhstan

December 28, 2024

Greece activated its survival instinct in the United Cup this Saturday, drawing a truly heart-stopping tie at the RAC Arena in Perth. The Hellenes achieved an impeccable comeback against Spain (2-1), leaving La Armada without qualification options in Group C and posing as one of the nations with the greatest potential in the team event that opens the season.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari were responsible for closing the victory in the decisive mixed doubles point, defeating Yvonne Cavallé-Reimers and Sergio Martos Gores 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 in a vibrant duel that ended around midnight in Australia. The Greeks pumped adrenaline to compensate for the wear and tear, after having played the two individual points that opened the series.

“We were precise when we needed it, that tie-break was very good on our part,” said Sakkari. “It’s always fantastic to play alongside Stefanos and experience great moments on the court.”

“There is not a single Greek night without some drama,” Tsitsipas added. “I feel very grateful to have a fighter like Maria by my side. She always delivers, she has performed until the end.”

With a stand notably populated with Greek fans, Tsitsipas and Sakkari managed to overcome a dizzying match, where just two breaks served to demonstrate the equality between both pairs.

Previously, Tsitsipas had played a key role in keeping Greece alive by defeating a resurgent Pablo Carreño Busta 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. The No. 11 of the PIF ATP Rankings once again exhibited his good connection with the courts aussies and already has a record of 6-1 in individual matches in the United Cup.

“I’m glad I found a way to win,” Tsitsipas acknowledged. “You may have doubts about your options, but you have to find a way. That is the moment I am most proud of. I hope to be able to go out on the track and represent Greece in the best way possible.”

“I finished in a big way, trying to fight. On some occasions I struggled to get back into the match. Pablo played great tennis in the third set, so I needed to get something special. Any player in the tournament has a huge level, I don’t expect anything different”.

At the point that opened the tie, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro signed one of the great victories of her career, defeating Sakkari 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes of play. The Galician, WTA world No. 54 at 22 years old, added an unforgettable experience in front of the Perth stands and consolidated her status as one of the current great figures of Spanish tennis.

“I feel very happy with this performance,” acknowledged Bouzas Maneiro. “Yesterday was a difficult day for me, being the first game, but today I felt very good.”

Bouzas Maneiro recovered after the defeat suffered in two sets against Elena Rybakina the previous day, signing the third Top 50 victory of her emerging career. The Galician had defeated the current champion Marketa Vondrousova in 2024 on grass and Wimbledon and added another surprise in the Grand Slam by knocking down Katie Boulter at the US Open.

Now, Greece will seek qualification for the quarterfinals this Monday against Kazakhstan, where a victory would give them a place in the next phase. After losing both ties in Group C, Spain was eliminated from the tournament in the round robin for the third consecutive season.