3 final matches of our tennis squad in the Sidnes tournament The United Cup was highly dramatic, starting with a gathering with Australia on Friday 9 January. This match began Iga Christmas defeating young Maya Joint with ease 6:1, 6:1 in little than an hour. Dramats on the court only delivered Hubert Hurkacz's match with Australian “star” Alex de Minaur, erstwhile in the first set both went equally to state 4:4, though it should be mentioned that in the second game Mr. Hubert led 40:15, but he could not yet break the service of his opponent, which would give him a large chance in this set. In the end it was de Minaur who broke Hurkaz's serve, and then went out on his forehead covering the lead 5:4, and in the final gem served finishing the set with a consequence of 6:4. In the second set, the situation was reversed, due to the fact that at 4:4, Hubert went out on his forehead, and he did not waste his chance winning a set from his service 6:4. So there was a decisive set, nevertheless dramatic, in which yet the mountain was the Australian 6:4. At 1:1 state the match was decided by the consequence of the double, and here Catherine Kawa and Jan Zieliński defeated the pair Storm huntsman with John-Patrick Smith 6:4, 6:0! And there was a strong U.S. squad on the horizon...
However, Hubert Hurkacz won after a beautiful fight against Fritz Taylor in 2 sets ending tie-break, thus 7:6,7,6. In the first tiebreaku he spread the rival as much as 7-1, and in the second 7-2, amazing Fritz besides with an excellent shortcut in the second tie-break ball. After that knockout on the court, Iga went out, crayed (sometimes pissing her nose with a handkerchief), so in this situation the American took the lead 3:1, winning the 4th gem with a shortcut! And although Iga then equalized 4:4, breaking Coco's serve, she was incapable to counter the rival's actions, losing yet set 4:6. And in the second set, the stressed Iga (still cast out) was pushed to the defensive losing as much as 2:6. Well, Iga has any bad luck, especially to Coco...In this situation, the game was decided again by the debel, but again the pair of Catherine Kawa and Jane Zieliński won after a dramatic fight against the Coco Gauff couple (!) and Christian Harrison – 7:6, 7:6. So Poles returned to the Americans for last year's defeat. The way to the United Cup final was an opening!
And just yesterday, on Sunday 11 January, the Polish squad met with a hard squad of Switzerland, in which the star was Belinda Bencic. Unfortunately, weakened by Iga's cold, there was adequate strength to win the first set 6:3, but the match continued under Belinda's dictatorship – 6:0, and in the 3rd set Iga had a chance, but yet lost after a heroic fight – 2:6. Weak, incapable to control the ball, as a result, besides many of her plays ended in a car. Now our hope was Mr. Hubert Hurkacz, who was confronted by Stan Wawrinka, a 40-year-old veteran of the courts, but inactive in full strength and experience. Despite these advantages, Mr. Hubert nearly spread it in the first set 6:3 (in 40 minutes) demonstrating many wonderful serves as well as beautiful dropshots. In the second set, unfortunately, Hurkacz played as if he had been playing softly and sometimes did not respect the ball, while Wawrinka – cheered by his fans – entered the attack winning set 6:3. In the 3rd set, Hurkacz mastered the situation by demonstrating again aces and fantastic shortcuts. He was already leading 4:1, as Stan again attacked, the allies in vain. Hubert dictated the speech in this set, large aces, and awesome shortcuts that brought another gem, and yet in the sixth game he besides showed off with a dropshot closing match 6:3. After this dramatic meeting, the state of the match so leveled, the United Cup cup had to be decided again. And this time the couple Catherine Kawa and Jan Zieliński did not disappoint us, although the star Bencic played against them with Jacob Paul. Contrary to the forecasts, our couple decided for the 3rd time on Poland's success – in 2 short sets, 6:4, 6:3, which was besides important, that it reached midnight! And with Iga Christmas indisposed (then she admitted that she was suffering – “sore”) our debel-mixt proved to be a precious rescue!
We won a trophy at the United Cup, our Victoria will go to the past of these tournaments, and Iga and Hubert are now packing suitcases for Melbourne to play the Australian Open. God bless!
It is worth adding that our squad had many fans among the Polish people, even 1 nun, which may not be amazing due to the fact that besides Pope Leon XIV plays tennis...
Marek Baterovich
